The March 19 edition of The Jakarta Post published two items: An op-ed piece by Murray Clapham and a letter from John Hargreaves about smoking.

There is no scientific or logical justification for smoking. In 1964, the surgeon general of the United States announced that smoking was very harmful to one’s health.

Since that time, there have been literally hundreds, if not thousands, of studies – longitudinal, double-blind studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals – proving beyond any tiny doubt whatsoever that smoking cigarettes, pipes or cigars causes a wide variety of fatal diseases.

These include cancer of the lungs, lips, throat, breast and pharynx, plus emphysema and other breathing and lung disorders, cardiovascular conditions and numerous other health risks.

There is no healthy contaminant that can be inhaled with impunity. A hundred thousand years of our human ancestors breathing nothing but clean fresh air assures us of this fact. Even the most benign smoke inhalant, marijuana, can lead to serious damage to the lungs.

The fact that religious organizations should be involved with deterring smoking is, I think, based on the fact that all major religions believe and teach that our bodies are inspired by a creator as temples of our souls and therefore deserving of our most profound care and respect.

To equate the dangers of smoking to that of motorcycle driving is patently ridiculous. If I drive my motorcycle defensively and slowly, I can control to a very large extent the danger involved. How can I smoke slowly and defensively? Let’s bring a little logic and sanity to our arguments. Tobacco companies can control the already addictive use of nicotine to make their products even more addictive. I doubt that Honda can chemically increase the addictiveness of motorcycles.

Smoking, according published statistics, kills more than 500,000 people a year in the United States (I am sure Indonesia has already surpassed this figure). Compare that to 50,000 people dying every year as a result of vehicular accidents. These figures do not include the damage and even deaths from second- and even third-hand smoke.

The only reason the government has not totally outlawed smoking, as they have marijuana, or controlled it heavily, as they do with alcoholic beverages, is because of the massive lobbying by the tobacco companies.
 
James Taylor
Denpasar

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