Much needs to be done to get smokers to follow the rules

RIGHT thinking people will surely approve of the Government’s recent clampdown on smoking but will smokers take heed?

My experience has been that smokers believe that non-smoking laws apply only to non smokers.

The other day, in the Klang KTM station I found a uniformed official smoking directly under a large no-smoking sign.

This highlights the problem; that those whose job is to enforce the law do no even abide by it themselves. It’s a case of the fox being in charge of the hen house. Some suggestions are:

> Appoint smoking wardens, preferably female, who are empowered to fine law breakers on the spot.

> Provide adequate refuge for addicts. These, of course, must be enclosed.

> Encourage social disapproval of smoking. Malaysians are very non-controversial and this is a nice attribute but people should be encouraged to speak out against recalcitrant smokers. This must always be polite, friendly and non personal.

> Religious leaders should do more to discourage this addiction.

> Action should be taken against tobacco manufacturers who delib- erately make their products appealing to children. If I were a Donald Trump, I would make the USA pay for the damage done by their tobacco products here in Malaysia.

Smoking has now been shown to be dangerous and it should be mandatory for all hotels to be completely non smoking.

Many hotels in the Philippines are non-smoking, even without enforcement since smokers, apart from spreading their noxious fumes everywhere, do a lot of damage to hotel property. It is time to stop sacrificing at the altar of stupidity and make ever increasing restrictions on this vile habit.