Nurfatihah: Smokers need to be mindful of their responsibilities not just to themselves, but also society in general.
HAVING a sibling who is 15 years my junior has brought out the protective side of me. As the older sister and only daughter in my family, I feel the need to look out for my brother wherever possible.
I still remember an incident that took place in a restaurant years ago when he was a baby.
My family and I were seated beside a man who was puffing away like nobody’s business – at the time, the smoking ban at eateries had yet to be enforced.
There were, in fact, quite a number of men lighting their cigarettes near our table. I felt uncomfortable at the thought of my younger brother being exposed to secondhand smoke because I was aware that even brief exposure to it could lead to negative health impact and that the risks are higher for children.
Eventually, I plucked up the courage to ask the man seated beside us if he could smoke at an open area while indicating that we were in the company of an infant.
He didn’t take my complaint seriously as he brushed me off and gave a look of annoyance.
Approaching strangers of the opposite sex after that encounter was daunting for me. Instead of tackling them head-on when the occasion demanded it, I resorted to giving them the side-eye.
The first time I did that, it was to no avail as the man felt no remorse and continued smoking near me. But it was easy to tell that I had made him feel uncomfortable in some way.
Giving the side-eye, to me, was the safest way to let smokers know that they shouldn’t be lighting up in smoke-free places without causing a scene.
I also found another way to deal with the problem – I stopped engaging with them altogether by avoiding dining in places patronised by smokers.
It was initially difficult to follow through with it as it could be a hassle looking for a smoke-free restaurant, especially when I was eager to dine in an eatery whose food I had been hankering after.
As time went by, I became accustomed to this habit of making sure the restaurants I intended to visit were indeed smoke-free.
But it is still tricky to deal with smokers who are present at family gatherings.
Sometimes, when I go over to my relatives’ homes and see some of my family members puffing away, I make a mental note to not linger at the event longer than intended.
As a non-smoker, I almost always have to be aware of my surroundings to avoid getting secondhand or thirdhand smoke.
For the uninitiated, thirdhand smoke is the tobacco smoke residue that remains after a tobacco product has been put out.
It is easy for thirdhand smoke to cling to hair, skin, clothes, furniture, drapes, walls, carpets and other surfaces.
As research has shown, secondhand and thirdhand smoke is just as harmful as firsthand smoke.
Cognisant of this, I try as much as possible to prevent exposure to such smoke as a way to protect myself and my brother, whom I am around most of the time.
At the same time, my parents remind our guests visiting us to avoid smoking near or inside our house – explaining to them that kids such as my cousins may inhale the smoke as they often crawl on the floor and put things that are lying around in their mouths. I understand that smokers do not intend to harm others with their smoking habits, but lacking the sensibility to view others as vulnerable can lead to harmful consequences.
Smokers need to be mindful of their responsibilities not just to themselves, but also society in general.
I would like to end this piece by urging smokers to remember that we only have one life, and it is wise to treat it as our most important asset.
Nurfatihah, 21, a student in Kuala Lumpur, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team.
Now that you have read the article, test your understanding by carrying out the following English language activities.
1. Do you know that the ban on smoking in eateries was enforced in 2019? If you were to encounter smokers in a restaurant, how would you respond to the situation? Would your response be similar to Nurfatihah’s? Why or why not?
2. Do you think it is wise to confront strangers about an action of theirs that bothers you? Discuss with an activity partner.
3. Here are a few smoke-related phrases. Do you know what they mean?
a) there’s no smoke without fire
b) to smoke like a chimney
c) to go up in smoke
Since 1997, The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme has supported English language teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools nationwide. Now in its 25th year, Star-NiE is continuing its role of promoting the use of English language through a weekly activity page in StarEdu. In addition, Star-NiE’s BRATs Young Journalist Programme will continue to be a platform for participants to hone and showcase their English language skills, as well as develop their journalistic interests and instincts. Follow our updates at facebook.com/niebrats. For Star-NiE enquiries, email starnie@thestar.com.my.
