last sat, my whole family was down at the east coast beach to volunteer in the International Coastal Cleanup Day 2007, where we combed the beach and picked up non-eco friendly stuff that we, humans, tossed into the sea because of convenience and inconsideration towards to the marine creatures.

Based on last year's statistics, about 7 millions items were collected, among which were plastic bags/bottles/pieces, straws, wrappers, styrofoam pieces, glass, syringes, candles, diapers and even used condoms and sanitary pads! But the one item that topped the list, with a disturbing figure of 1.9 million, were cigarette butts, thrown into the sea by smokers!!

If I ever become a government official, I wish I can pass a law to ban smoking! :P

forget about the money that cigarettes can bring in!

look at the amount of damage that smokers do
when children, pregnant ladies or anyone at all who, sometimes or many a times, had no choice but to inhale second hand smoke from a cigar,
the amount of smoke and CO2 that they release into the atmoshphere and contribute to global warming when they lit a cigar,
the paper and plastic that they utilise in making the packages, cigars and lighters,
the damage that they do to themselves by increasing the chances of cancer,
the large amount of money that are spent on campiagns to discourage people from smoking...

if they truly love the ones around them, they would give it up for them...

take my dad for example.

during my teenage days, I would purposely hide all the cigars that he bought.
he would shout at me intially and demand angrily for them.
when i did not give in and persistently ask him to give it up for the family and for himself, he eventually kicked the habit when he saw that i was seriously concerned for him as he was for me! :)

if a heavy penalty is meted out for being a drug addict because of its adverse effects, why not do the same for a nicotine addict and wake him up from the deadly illusion that is burning his lungs away? you second to this!? ;)

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