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Consumers fight back over inhaling 'passive smoke' before exhaling 

Bahamian consumers have finally decided to fight back over inhaling 'passive smoke' before their life is exhaled from the ill effect of this health risk.

Given the rate of cancer deaths in our country, it is high time the consumer movement enhances the social dialogue about smoke and cigarette smoking in the work place. In 1998 the total number of individuals admitted to the Princess Margaret Hospital for cancer stood at 330. This may appear as a small amount, but we have a small population. Although, not all of these were related to lung cancer the most commonly associated with smoking there were 25 cases of lung cancer admitted to the PMH in the same year.

However, not only cigarette smoking can lead to cancer, but also non-smokers inhaling the smoke exhaled by an addict of tobacco. In fact, the tobacco industry is the only industry that kills one third of its clients. In an article by Samuel Gremial he argues that it is beyond doubt that, from a medical point of view, smoke addiction is a social scourge. But what can be done to ensure the peaceful coexistence of smokers and non-smokers at the workplace, where many people spend at least half of their waking time?

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