Why God's own country loves smoking ban

Till some time ago, Keralites could be seen puffing cigarettes furtively at bus stands and railway stations (there is already a high court directive against smoking in Kerala), but the Centre's recent ban has received an overwhelming response in the state.

Images: India is not the first to ban smoking

"Smoking in public places is even otherwise punishable in the state since 1999, following a High Court directive. But what the recent ban has done is to take up the issue more seriously, demanding the police to be more effective," says City Police Commissioner Anoop Kuruvilla John.

"The ban has been reasonably well-enforced in the state even earlier, when the guilty had to personally appear in the Court to pay a fine up to Rs 500," he says, adding that on an average, about 350 cases were booked a month in Kozhikode alone till recently.

Though the October 2 ban, a pet project of Health Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, calls for banning smoking in cinema halls, pubs and restaurants, among other places, enquiries reveal that smoking continues inside theatres during intervals.

"It is very difficult for us to tell the audience not to smoke during the break as we find it tough to provide them a smoking zone," says a manager of a leading cinema hall in Kozhikode.

However, preferring anonymity, he says that a majority of the audience want to strictly adhere to the recent ban, not out of willingness, but for fear of being caught in public.

Interestingly, many hotels and restaurants have come up with signboards issuing warnings against smoking, thereby solely leaving it to the customer to run the risk of being apprehended in case of violating the ban.

Reports from neighbouring Malappuram district say that the 'urge' for smoking has driven smokers even to use-and-pay public toilets. Of course, they feel no policeman would wish to bear the stink for long for the sake of nabbing the 'culprit'.

Reports also say that since October 2, the total number of people utilising such public toilets have gone up alarmingly. However, sale of cigarettes seems to have been affected due to the ban.

"From a daily sale of anywhere around Rs 500, it has now come down by half," says Raju, a petty shop owner near the busy Mavoor Road.

Many private organisations have also come forward to spread awareness on the dangers of smoking, striking a point that the ban will help in stopping fresh smokers and reducing part-timers, though chain-smokers find some excuse to continue meeting their 'burning desire'.

"The situation in the state, where smoking in public places has been under police surveillance for a long time now, is quite different from other states where governments might find it difficult to implement the ban," says Ambika, a bank employee.

"The public is clearly aware of the dangers they create to passive smokers and smoking has never been a major public nuisance here," she says.

Kerala has many firsts to its credit when it comes to bans. Bandhs have been banned in the state long before and replaced by hartals.

However, statistics also show that the state owns the dubious record for organising the maximum number of hartals compared to other states in recent times.

Akash, an ex-serviceman, says more than bringing in such bans, it was for individuals to decide on their own, knowing well in hand the dangers posed by tobacco.

"Be it cigarette or pan masala, tobacco used in any form leads to serious health hazards, which any educated person knows without stating it," he says.

However, he feels that the recent ban has come as a boon for non-smokers, who have to otherwise pay a heavy price for being a passive smoker.

The only ones who decry the ban are regular smokers, who feel that one of their major rights have been taken away by the government now.

"You not only have to pay for the cigarette, a heavily taxed product now, but also pay a hefty fine in case you smoke in a public place out of stress," says Sreejith, a driver.

"Before bringing in the ban, the government should have also specified smoking zones everywhere so that people like me and even office-goers, who feel like having a puff could relax for a while," he adds.

Summing up the debate, Rajeesh, a college student says: "I for one will suggest that the minister better ban all tobacco products."