No gentle breeze for non-smokers

Although the Government has instituted a slew of measures to curb smoking in public places, non-smokers still have to inhale second-hand smoke while using pedestrian walkways. More often than not, smokers light up while moving from point A to point B, blowing streams of cigarette smoke at the people around them.

Even when they are at designated smoking areas, the smoke lingers and moves into the paths of those in the vicinity.

While this is of no consequence to the smoker, pedestrians near or behind them are often at the receiving end of this cloud of harmful particles that irritate their airways and they cannot completely avoid it — not to mention those with weaker constitutions and immune systems such as the very young and old.

This is extremely inconsiderate behaviour and there is no reason why non-smokers should have to inhale substances that the smokers themselves expel from their bodies.

I understand that this issue cannot be solved or even addressed overnight since no one has control over how the wind blows, but I do urge the authorities to look into different measures to help mitigate and foster a positive change in smokers’ behaviour. After all, the majority of the population should not be made to pay a toll health-wise for a smaller segment of individuals.