In Reply to: Excuse me, posted by Malibali on Tuesday, 14. February 2006 at 00:58 Bali Time:
Yes, people have the right to smoke. And non-smokers have the right to object to being forced to share it. Many people talk about freedom of choice. Yes, a person can choose to start smoking, but once he/she is hooked, usually they have lost the freedom to choose and have become slaves to their habit.
I have a Balinese friend in Candi Dasa, a really nice guy who is a good worker and organiser, has a social conscience and loves his wife and kids. Four years ago he was advised by his doctor to stop smoking for the good of his health. He made the usual jokes to me about how someone has to pay the taxes which keep the country running. Last time I saw him he was not joking, he was worrying about his deteriorating health. No social security in Bali for his wife and family if they loose their breadwinner.
Another young friend in Ubud told me how much of his wages went on cigarettes and asked me for my advice on how he could cut down.
One time we were at S&S and a guy was trying to sell a wooden carving of a horse to the people sitting around. I'm no judge of such things, but it looked beautiful to me and even the asking price seemed pretty reasonable. But I wasn't going to encourage him to stand talking to me with his cigarette smoke blowing in my face, so he lost any chance he may have had of making a sale.
Another guy invited me into his enclosed, glass fronted shop. He was polite, with a nice personality, but no way was I going in there to share his smoke.
They desperately need our business, but, despite being polite by nature, don't seem to understand the adverse effect their smoking is having on potential customers. And the smoking related disease epidemic which has probably already started to hit Bali will have repercussions almost beyond belief.