Comment: The smoking ban

March 27, p. 8   

Many smokers admit smoking plays an important role in their lives. They cannot do their jobs well without smoking, because it gives them extra energy. They prefer sleeping to working when there is no cigarette heating their throats.
In addition, some smokers say smoking can build up their confidence to speak in public, and they cannot speak fluently if no smoke is fumigating their brains. Meanwhile, other smokers consider smoking is like the food and drink they consume, so promoting a smoking ban in public means an infringement of their right to live.  (By Elvis Albertus Bin Toni, Jakarta)

Your comments:

I agree with this, I think that there are many people out there (including myself) that enjoy smoking. However, I don’t like being treated like a pariah and being taxed unfairly for my habit.
I cannot ignore the obvious health problems associated with smoking cigarettes and the bad things that go with smoking: the smell, yellow teeth, burn marks in clothes and car seats.
I have found what I think to be a reasonable compromise in electronic cigarettes. They deliver nicotine in a solution of water vapor that tastes and feels very much like real smoke.
The vapor has no smell because nothing is really burning and because they don’t contain tobacco, they aren’t subject to tobacco
taxes and aren’t banned from indoor use. Anyone who smokes should check them out. They are far less expensive in the long run than
cigarettes.

M Bridge
The United States