Stephen Seagull on the winds of change blowing smoke away

AHOY there, readers of the Pembrokeshire Herald! It’s me, Stephen Seagull, squawking your way with some ruffled feathers over a topic that’s been smoldering in our communities: the pesky plague of smoking!

Now, my feathered friends and I see all sorts from our lofty perches, and it’s no secret that smoking has trapped and slowly picked apart the health of thousands, much like a hungry gull on a chip! Many of those poor souls wish they’d never started. But alas, they were but nestlings when flashy adverts and crafty marketing stole their choice, hooking them on that addictive nicotine.

Every year, a whopping 80,000 folks in the UK flutter down to the grave, victims of the smoke. And who suffers the most? It’s those nesting in the less fortunate twigs of our tree, where a third of all smokers perch. It’s a sore sight, and it ruffles my feathers to think that smoking drives such vast health inequalities across our land.

But squawk! There’s a gust of hope on the horizon with the new tobacco and vapes bill getting a gander in parliament today. If this bill flies through, no chick turning 15 from here on will legally get their beaks on a cigarette. Imagine that—a smokefree generation! The idea has the backing not only of our diligent docs and caring nurses but also a hefty flock of the public and the governments of all four UK corners.

The changes won’t hatch overnight; it’ll take a few decades before we see the full sky clear of smoke. But some benefits will swoop in swiftly, like fewer asthma attacks in our chicks from secondhand smoke. And let’s not forget the impact on smoking during pregnancy— every mother, whether human or gull, wants the best start for her brood. Reducing smoking in these young, often vulnerable mothers could see fewer little ones hatching into a world of health woes, with less stillbirth and premature pecking order changes.

Meanwhile, the tobacco industry, clutching their pearls and profits, squawk loud about freedom and choice. They fear the bill will pluck their plush nests, but we know better. Their concerns are about cash, not choice, and certainly not about the chicks. Every measure that has helped us squawk a little louder, breathe a little easier, and live a little longer has faced these feathery fiends head-on. And just like those old adverts that claimed low tar and filters were safe, we know there’s no safe way to smoke.

So, my fine-feathered friends, as the MPs ponder this bill today, let’s hope they choose to protect our future flocks from the harms of tobacco, ensuring brighter skies and healthier horizons for all our chicks and fledglings.

Till next week, keep your wings strong and your eyes on the skies! Squawk out!