I DO not know whether to shake my head in disbelief or to laugh when I read Kulim Bandar Baru MP Zulkifli Noordin’s call for a ban on the sale of beer and condoms in convenience stores.
If he really wants to ban something, please ban the sale of cigarettes because smoking is harmful, both to the smoker and to people around the smoker.
Even if the sale of cigarettes is not banned, at least ban people from smoking in closed, air-conditioned public places.
In Melbourne, the government imposed a ban on smoking in enclosed indoor places.
That includes restaurants, shopping centres, discos, pubs and public places such as cinemas, stadiums, tram stops and train stations.
This means that people can enjoy dancing and listening to music in a disco or dining without breathing in second-hand smoke.
Girls will not complain about their hair being smelly and patrons about cigarette-stench on their clothes.
Some restaurants that allow smoking divide the place into smoking and non-smoking zones.
That defeats the purpose if the place is not partitioned with glass that separates smokers from non-smokers.
It is very unwise to smoke in an air-conditioned environment and people should have the common sense not to smoke in these places.
Instead of calling for a ban on horror movies and the sale of condoms or beer, more focus should be placed on the dangers of smoking.
Educating the public and imposing strict non-smoking laws in indoor public places are some of the ways to check such problems.
While there is no need to put a stop to the sale of cigarettes, it is imperative to educate people on when and where to smoke.
October 20, 2009 Thestar
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