Editor,

Why public places are still open to smokers is perplexing. With a twist in the events behind parliament’s walls, it’s refreshing to know that the anti-smoking bill has been reviewed. This is according to yesterday’s publication of The New Times.

According to the bill, ‘No person shall smoke in any public place.’

The bill also calls for enlightening the public on the dangers of smoking, discourages smoking and seeks to protect non-smokers from persuasion or inducements that may encourage them to take up the habit.

A point of information is that tobacco contains as much as 400 toxic substances. Research proves that several tobacco-related effects including 25 diseases that affect the lungs, the heart and blood veins do exist.

Even though it is unrealistic to think that the smoking habit can be stamped out, at least more Rwandans should be educated to the extent whereby they make conscious decisions related to smoking.

For this reason, the anti-smoking bill should be accelerated so that smoking in public is banned as a way of creating awareness and protecting the lungs of non-smokers.

Marcel Johns
Kigali