Prohibit smoking in restaurants

MALAYSIA is a party to the World Health Organsation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control since 2005, and has instituted a wide range of legal provisions and promotional efforts to ban and discourage smoking in public places.

Despite all these efforts, we still see people “lighting up” with impunity in restaurants and eateries, sometimes even under “No smoking” signs.

While action taken by the national authorities to prohibit smoking in public places and amenities are laudable, not enough is being done to ban smoking in restaurants and eateries.

It is the debate on health versus the rights of smokers, with food outlet owners usually caught between the two. Many owners fear losing business if they have a completely smoke-free environment.

According to a study by the US Substance Abuse Policy Research Programme on the effects of smoke-free policies on restaurant profits in Massachusetts from 1996 to 1998, being smoke-free did not affect the amount of business a restaurant received.

Whether or not restaurants and eateries are air-conditioned, have no-smoking areas or have good ventilation, it makes little difference when one considers all the health risks of second-hand smoke.

Second-hand smoke is harmful to people of all ages – men, women and children.

Both smokers and non-smokers can experience health problems from second-hand smoke, according to studies by the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and the US National Cancer Institute (NCI).

WHO and other international statistics reveal that several thousands of people die every year from lung cancer that is caused by environment tobacco smoke (ETS), another word for second-hand smoke. ETS is linked to several different cancers such as lung cancer, nasal sinus cavity cancer, breast cancer and bladder cancer.

Children with asthma will suffer more when exposed to ETS, which is also a cause of middle ear infection. Children could also experience acute lower respiratory tract infections as a result of breathing in ETS.

Even more startling is that 35,000 to 40,000 deaths each year from heart disease are those who do not smoke but were exposed to ETS.

Breathing in ETS can cause premature hardening of the arteries. ETS contains many different carcinogens and poisons that are harmful to the body.

When smoking is allowed in a restaurant, these poisonous chemicals are released into the air and will also rest on the food of other patrons.

Even with good ventilation, not all of the poisons will be eliminated. People with air or food allergies usually have a difficult time breathing when exposed to ETS.

Food outlets should look and smell fresh and clean all the time. Smoke chemicals and poisons can accumulate on furnishing, furniture, floors, ceiling, in ashtrays and from cigarette-butt litter, making everything smelly.

The smelly effect lingers for days on the clothing of people who have been in restaurants with smokers.

A “smoking” environment affects food service employees even if they are non-smokers.

A study conducted in 1996 by Health Canada showed that each employee in such a place can cost an employer on average between US$2,000 (RM6,540) and US$6,000 (RM19,620). Lung cancer risks are also much higher among these workers.

Restaurants and eateries can be smoke-free without harming their business or reputation if the authorities, enforcers, owners and managers and the public take the right and sensible approach.

Smokers, if they absolutely must puff, can always step outside for a “breather”. When they practise this, the other customers and employees will benefit from a healthy and pleasant environment.

Such effort by smokers will undoubtedly enhance our national image as a responsible and caring society.

RUEBEN DUDLEY

Petaling Jaya