Smoking!

It is great to read in the news that numbers of smokers in this country are falling. I can’t think of a single thing in the world that is more pointless than smoking. As a student, I tried it but never inhaled and really didn’t enjoy it. In my whole life I think I probably smoked less than 20 cigarettes. However, for health services and insurance purposes, I am counted as an ex-smoker. This niggles me as everything about smoking makes me cross. It looks ridiculous (not cool, as some think). It smells awful. It damages the health of those who do it and, more to the point, that of those around them. I celebrated when it was banned in public places. However, now, on entering my local shopping centre, I have to hold my breath as I squeeze my way through the smokers who congregate at the doors. Even worse, I am a regular visitor to my local hospital and despite notices that smoking is not allowed anywhere on the land surrounding the hospital, there they all are, smoking by the entrance doors. Some in wheelchairs. Some with leg amputations. Some on intravenous drips. Sucking on their silly white paper stick, mouths like cats’ bums, blowing their fumes over those trying to enter the doors. The cost on our stretched health services is massive but government makes so much money from it that they turn a blind eye. Yes, smoking is right up there on my whinge list……