By Kakajan Haytlyyev

PAGE 1

I am a smoker.

However, I agree that we cannot smoke

just anywhere. For instance, it is

inappropriate to smoke at the cinemas,

theatres, shopping malls, public transport

or restaurants because we can disturb

other people who do not smoke. Having

said that

I noticed

that anti-smoking activists are going way

over the top when it suddenly became

prohibited to smoke in the bars or outside

on the streets. I guess it is over the limit

and I can explain why I think so.

PAGE 2

We are told that smoking kills. If it is so then smoking is

probably the slowest killer the world has ever seen. I

started to smoke when I was 16. I am 50 now. I look

younger than my age (some people think that I look like

I am 40), I am fit (size 30-32 depend on which brand) and

I am healthy. My blood is almost ideal. My cholesterol

level in the middle of the norm.

Therefore, I am not clear why we have so many

restrictions when it comes to smoking? And if the danger

of tobacco is not exaggerated, then why am I healthy and

look younger?

I do not understand why tobacco products are singled

out? Alcohol is not less dangerous than tobacco.

Alcoholics would be able to do something which smoker

would never do.

For instance, how many people are killed every day due

to drunk driving? We do not have anybody killed because

of the smoke driving unless we are talking about

smoking something else, not cigarettes.

Or, how many people suffer or killed because they live

with an alcoholic? Even if alcoholics are those

individuals who are not aggressive, unlike smokers, they

are dysfunctional. And how many of them die due to

alcoholism-related causes? Somehow we do not see

PAGE 3

horrifying pictures on those products. We also do not see

any terrible pictures on bottles of whisky or vodka. Those

bottles still look sexy.

The latest information, which is advertised much less

than anti-tobacco campaigns, indicate that obesity and

stress are number one killers. I think it is more harmful

than smoking because it leads to heart problems and

high blood pressure as well as diabetes, which

eventually kill people.

I knew quite a number of obese people who passed away

at an early age and they were not smokers. Therefore, I

would like to ask people who are so active in promoting

non-smoking lifestyle the following questions:

1. If tobacco is not just dangerous but it kills us, then

why is it still legal to sell cigarettes?

2. If cigarettes kill, why governments are the biggest

revenue collectors from the cigarettes sale? Is it

because governments neglect their priority role – to care

about citizens health, or because it is not that

dangerous?

3. Why are cigarettes singled out? Why alcoholic drinks

and products that contain sugar are still not advertised

as the most dangerous?

PAGE 4

4. Why does fast food not suffer from any pressure from

the lawmakers, although it is proven that it is damaging

to our health?

My father started to smoke when he was 14, He quit

smoking at when he was 75. He passed away at the age

of 82. Whereby my mother did not smoke and she also

was not a drinker, may be few glasses of wine a year.

Nevertheless, she passed away at the age of 75.

I know many other examples that would suggest that it

might not be the case when we are told that smoking

kills.

I would also like to highlight that I do not promote

smoking. I am aware that smoking cannot be classified

as something healthy. But so is pollution, stress, sugar,

lack of physical exercise, unhealthy food and drinks.

Having said that, I think that everything must be done in

moderation.

When we do not abuse it, it is not going to kill us. Our

health is a result of combination many components that

constitute that very "package" which make our life

better.

In conclusion, I would like to say this. Once my wife

asked me whether I am planning to quit smoking soon. I

PAGE 5

answered that I will quit smoking immediately if she

would explain to me the difference between dying

healthy and not that much.

Life is too short, we shall enjoy every aspect of it. Just

one condition - do not abuse.