[Hippie at Heart]

 open_hand.jpg   17.25K   8 downloadsIt wasn’t before I got nearly fined 3rd time within 4 hour span it did not dawned upon poor me that earlier two fines were not by fluke for smoking at the periphery of government buildings and institution. I had rather paid sheepishly then argue that am actually not inside the boundary of any government building but 3rd time I stood my ground (or tried to). It was then I realised that its not government building alone but you cant smoke anywhere within the Chandigarh city except in your house. I have never witnessed such bizarre situation before. Open roads, walkways, restaurants, parks, markets, hotels, anywhere except your own drawing room one cant smoke.

Later in evening a colleague explained me that now thanks to this new no smoke status Chandigarh is now world’s first smoke free city. Lighting a ciggie is suddenly an activity fraught with adventure. Tree trunks are now best allies for those seeking refuge from reprisal and fines. Paanwallahs are no more a friendly chit chat corner in lunchtime. They sell cigarette as if selling a contraband that can only be opened at least 200 meters away from their shops. Wives can threaten a police action for smoking in drawing room without consent of family member if they are not appeased with a promise of Dinner out twice a week. Policewallas right from a constable to traffic sergeant is empowered to fine on spot.... rest are crawling all over the ‘public places’ in plainclothes like Gestapo.

I don’t know with this kind of over jealous administration the free whirling weather cock of Chandigarh symbolising "Open to give, open to receive", hold any meaning at all. So far the open hand and city beautiful is taking all I have, freedom. As a guest with no home of your own in city it feel like you are in a big open air jail. I love this city for everything else and by no means endorse the idea that smokers can run amok anywhere they feel like but this is too much to take.

Edited by Hippie at Heart, 09 October 2007 - 01:16 AM.

[noflylist]

I wonder if they would ban "smoking" in Vashist next!

[iwanttogoback]

hah

don't you just feel like a leper sometimes? i haven't smoked for a couple of years now, but i did smoke for 25 years, in a country that seems to lead in the banning of smoking.

i didn't mind not being able to smoke at work, i stopped smoking in my house when my children were born, i never smoked in the car when they were with me, and i would always have a smoking chair well away from the doors and windows of my house. years ago i got used to not smoking inside and, on the rare occasion, when i was in a house where people smoked i found it really bizarre and couldn't do it myself!

however, one thing that really used to annoy me was if i was in an outdoors situation (park, beach, whatever) having a quiet smoke and then somebody would turn up and complain. to which my response would be that i was there smoking, perhaps they could have gone somewhere were i wasn't.

i think smoking is a really serious issue, but as long as it is legal (and governments make massive money in taxes on them) then i find it really quite annoying that they continue to chip away at the places you can smoke. if they want to stop people smoking, ban the sale of cigarettes and deal with it - treat it seriously and stop wanting to have their cake (taxes) and eat it too (banning its consumption).

(dons asbestos suit in anticipation of the anti-smoking brigade's appearance )

OT: do you live in chandigarh? or visit for business?

[WonderWomanUSA]

Quote

i think smoking is a really serious issue, but as long as it is legal (and governments make massive money in taxes on them) then i find it really quite annoying that they continue to chip away at the places you can smoke. if they want to stop people smoking, ban the sale of cigarettes and deal with it - treat it seriously and stop wanting to have their cake (taxes) and eat it too (banning its consumption).

And in the US, if they really want us to stop using tobacco, they should stop subsidizing tobacco farmers!

Funny situation, when it's legal and they don't want anyone to use it. Make it illegal, then, and stop f*rting around.

I smoke about two cigareets a day (down from two packs a day, some years ago) but I'm not interested in quitting. I just smoke the ones I really enjoy!

[jyotirmoy]

Bye Chandigarh

[cyberhippie]

I'm caught in two minds, one side of me says this is ultimately a very healthy policy which really only benefits society, the other side of me agrees with many of the sentiments above as a smoker who is fully aware of the impact my habit can have on others I'm dismayed by this attack on smokers under the blanket of public health. Surely there are ways for us pariahs to continue to indulge now and again with minimum repercussion for non smokers, You know Bars and restaurants specifically for smokers a corner set aside in the park.........................

Instead we often see this kind of Draconian law being foisted upon the casual smoker, all the while happily taking (in my country) 3GBP in tax for the privilege of opening a packet.

I also find it a bit strange as we teeter on the edge of global ecological disaster, that the concerns of a smoking public is always talked about in terms of public health and the dire need for change. Some of the other more pressing problems of our struggling planet are rarely talked about in terms of the dangers for societie's well being and health. A bit odd don't you think!

[jyotirmoy]

Fully agree with CH

[malkers]

This happened to us on our first trip to Ooty.  We were just wandering the streets outside the Botanical Gardens smoking when a cop came up shouting at us to stub them out, "No smoking in Ooty" he said, I looked at him bewildered and he said "smoke only in your car", so we wandered out of his sight and sparked up again only to have a member of the public quickly tell us not to smoke or cops will fine us.  

Been back to Ooty twice since and got away with it without anybody saying anything.

Whilst I applaud clean air and nailing the health issues I do think it gets taken to the extreme, nobody owns the air outside so I don't see how they can legally or morally stop you from smoking in it if you choose, I guess farting is ok then which is proven to send more harmful gas to the ozone layer than one cigarette.

I been trying all this year to give up, attempting again this week, am on zyban tabs now and scheduled to stop the cigs on Thursday.  I absolutely detest the things for the money they have cost me over the last 25 years and the ireversible health effects they've had.  I too wish they would just remove them from the shelves, it would be better for everyone!

[iwanttogoback]

malkers

i think i may have mentioned this before, but i quit (after 25 years) after reading alan carr's 'easy way to stop smoking.'
go check out your local library, or buy the book! absolutely worth every cent.

cy, the most persuasive argument i ever heard for quitting was to do with the effects on the environment of growing tobacco, ie in terms of replacing traditional agriculture with cash cropping, with the amount of land and water required. perhaps if the smoke nazis stopped trying to frighten me or make me feel guilty (the response to which, of most smokers, is to have a cigarette!) and started talking about the environmental and social costs people might listen.

and maybe some real assistance in quitting - a book that cost me $20 is a drop in the bucket of the $1000s i must have paid over the years in tax, and, hopefully, will have saved by improvements in my general health.

honestly, the anti smoking movement couldn't sell beer in a brewery.

[malkers]

Thanks Iwanna

I'm ordering it right now as I am away for the week next week in a place where I won't be allowed to smoke during the day.

3rd attempt this year, lets hope I'm 3rd time lucky!

[priya]

Well said there, iwtgb!  At least you're not sounding like one of those "born again" ex smokers.

[jyotirmoy]

Giving up smoking is easy,  many people have done it many times in their life.

[priya]

malkers, on Oct 9 2007, 01:00 PM, said:

Thanks Iwanna

I'm ordering it right now as I am away for the week next week in a place where I won't be allowed to smoke during the day.

3rd attempt this year, lets hope I'm 3rd time lucky!

Good luck with your 3rd attempt!!!

Failing that, a visit here will certainly set you straight.  You either buy on the BM or go without.  They vanished off the shelves about three months ago after the price reductions were enforced.  1 x 20 pkt was supposed to  cost $30,000/$35,000 and now you pay up to $80,000 for ONE from the street vendors.  You can haggle for a box and get it slightly cheaper, if your bagaining skills are good.  Otherwise, I'm afraid, you'll have to go with something a bit stronger, but far cheaper and easier to obtain!

[iwanttogoback]

malky

are you on night release from prison next week?

[malkers]

I'm doing something completely crazy and potty and pretty dangerous too in a desperate attempt to cheer myself up.  I shall be blogging from where I am so will post a link to it once there!  

[priya]

Sounds pretty ominous   Just take care.

[Hippie at Heart]

PD, while I somewhat agree to your idea of administration striving to make it socially unacceptable however am not in consonance with the fact that smokers be treated as pariah untouchables in the whole set up. It’s ok to impart education and awareness at all levels of society about the dire consequences of smoking and side affects, lung cancer blah blah right from beedie smoking rickshaw pullers to India Kings smoking top honchos but under what right of management any administration suddenly decide to clamp down a curfew like situation upon anyone’s right to live? If all their caveats are in place and state have done their part of being a responsible state then where is the need to curtail personal freedom. I can’t see much into it apart from the fact that smokers can be fined for litter or deliberately subjecting others to passive smoking but the ambit of passive smoke can’t engulf a whole city by any starch of imagination.
That said, nor should smokers be allowed to take advantage of their own doing and leaving their widows to file class I suits against tobacco companies who finance political parties that in turn dole out subsidies to farmers for growing tobacco.

To Smoke and die 30 years before natural call as a pauper is any adults prerogative, I see no reason for anyone to muddle into his affairs. For all you know there are more people departing to happy hunting grounds on account of GOI allowing ANY car manufacturer to sell cars in India without crash test compliance. Only road worthiness certificate is enough, which we know what a joke it is. People pay through nose for the lemons and die unsung in unsafe cars and GOI don’t give two hoots to it, but if it comes to a smoke, some joker suddenly gets up and announce its time to pack up for smokers.

Anyhow as an update, am happy to announce that some of legal fraternity woke up to the core issue of personal liberty involved and took the city administration to High Court, secured that ordering jokers presence in court where the judge literally took him by collar and showed him the door with appropriate strictures and set aside the order passed by him.

IWTGB, am almost a regular visitor to Chandigarh and have been considering taking up assignment for a while….. till this fiasco came about, now I can again start planning. If they agree to my smoking in my cabin and immunity from boo boo boys, I might take it up  

Edited by Hippie at Heart, 06 November 2007 - 03:41 AM.