There is probably something about myself that not everyone in my circle of friends know about except the ones that see me everyday. This would probably bring a frown to some and perhaps lose some of the little respect that I got. But heck, this is my life and my blog so I get to do anything I please. If I cannot even have control over something like a blog, then I probably wouldn't go on to achieve anything in my life anyway.
Ok, the thing I want to admit to anyone who is reading this blog is that I smoke. Yes, S-M-O-K-E. I am not sure how many of you all would go " OH MY GOD!!" or " Aiya smoke only, chey what big deal thought you ex-convict or what."
I use to hate smokers. When I was in secondary school I was a staunch non-smoker. There were a few in my class that got into depression problems over their girlfriends and sought solace in that cancer stick and I constantly had a low opinion of them.
I mean it's only a girl! Why bother killing yourself over that issue? Then as time progress, I realized that maybe this world does have alot of things worth not living for. Those buggers that puff away in secondary school actually had foresight!
So what started out as an act of curiosity led to a full blown habit. When you smoke, you inevitably look around for people that accept your vice and would soon find that all of them think alike. In between puffs, the topic would not be about living 5 mins less due to that cancer stick but about smoking been actually good for oneself.
While we are all "high" from cigarette smoke, we discuss the fact that if cigarettes are so harmful why not ban it totally? Why don't treat it as a drug and refer all smokers to drug rehabilation centers? Even better, get the CNB to nab us as well.
Studies have shown the harmful effects of smoking. It shows how smokers eventually lie on the hospital bed with tubes running all over his face and body. It shows how smokers live shorter than non-smokers and it also shows how lungs get infected by cancer faster.
Surely, all these studies would put governments around the world to outlaw smoking completely. So why are governments(less Singapore) still funding their tobacco industries and killing millions of people worldwide?
Which lead us band of smokers to conclude that smoking can't be that bad. Deng Xiaoping the famous China ruler lived to a ripe old age and introduced communism in China while chain-smoking so why can't we?
I am not sure how many of you guys out there actually tried a stick of cigarette. I recently met one of my old JC classmate who is now a policeman. He was the ex JC soccer team player and NAFA test gold medallist with a 8 min plus 2.4km timing. He now smokes two packs a day.
The cynical ones amongst us would be quick to point out that National Service as the root to the evils of smoking. Everywhere in the army, there would be a yellow box and bored souls would puff their lives away while complaining about their superiors. Even in the police force which bans smoking in uniform at anytime has people hiding in some outlet smoking.
Are smokers really troubled individuals or just bored with life? I for one promise whoever that sees me smoking that smoking would stop immediately after National Service. After all, that is where life begins.
In retrospect, I believe that smokers already have it hard in Singapore. With escalating cigarette prices and ban at almost everyplace that has people, smokers are now a dwindling number. Non-smokers complain non-stop about second hand smoke and the irresponsible smokers. Smokers being outnumbered start the hide their habit. These smokers are probably smoking because of various problems in life. In my mini survery, 99% of smokers smoke because of problems in life that are sometimes unsolvable. So they seek that 5 mins of thrill by puffing away on that cigarette. So in the future, don't slap a someone who is smoking. Instead take away his cigarette gently and ask him about his problems.