The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Tuesday, June 1, 1993 — World No Smoking Day commemorated worldwide yesterday, passed unnoticed by many Bulawayo smokers who did not heed the call to extinguish their cigarettes for a day and enjoy breathing tobacco-free air.

In a survey carried out in the city, most smokers said that they were not aware of the event but pointed out that even if they had been, it was difficult for them to go for 24 hours without smoking.

“I am addicted to my cigarettes and it is absurd for anyone to expect me not to smoke for the whole day,” said Mr Anonymous Hove, who is in the health profession.

Mr Denam Banda, from Nketa suburb, said that he was not aware that yesterday was No Smoking Day, but said that he smoked only two cigarettes a day to keep himself “healthy”.

According to Mr Banda, smoking also helps to stop nose-bleeding. This belief, which might make doctors shudder, is apparently held by many smokers.

“I believe that smoking helps to prevent asthma and it soothes me when I am feeling frustrated,,” said Mrs Helen White of Hillside.

A medical doctor, who declined to be named for professional reasons, said that it was a fallacy to claim that smoking would cure some diseases like nosebleeding.

“No doctor can prescribe for his patients smoking as a remedy for any ailment. There are special drugs used to stop nose-bleeding and certainly not a puff from a cigarette,” he said.