In a recent move, Supreme Court of Nepal ordered the government to ban smoking in public places. It does not mention what those public places are but, where does this right come from? Don’t we have the right to smoke? If someone suffers from our smoking, don’t we also suffer from the lack of the right to enjoy our freedom? Is this constitutional? Is this a form of judicial activism? Should litigation be allowed? Several questions have surfaced against the decision of the court. Smoking cigarette is our right and it should be respected by all just like every other rights.



There has been several practices around the world to ban smoking on health grounds just like the one done in Nepal. It failed in Portugal, Switzerland and so forth. Rules were revised among others in those countries as those rules were basically ill-devised and ill-intentioned. Don’t we all know the bad effects of smoking on our health? If we choose to smoke out of our own conscience, who are these supreme court justices to regulate our action?

Furthermore, we don’t always consume things that are good for our health. Think about the food you eat everyday. More calories, fat and so forth lead to obesity. Should we stop eating high-fat food then? Lack of exercise also leads to poor public health. So, should we enforce laws forcing people to exercise regularly? When does this growth of limits on our rights stop? Or are we all heading for the court to decide our life?

More, the bans not only limit our rights, they also limit businesses. Look at the number of people involved in this business. The amount of money spent on advertisements and people related to those businesses. Many media houses are run by these advertisements. Things are all the more obvious. Go down the street and check out the first store. You can see a whole lot of cigarette packets on sale. Go to one of the firms and see the number of people working there. If we are to ban smoking in public places, we are heading towards some unintended consequences.

Bans simply don’t work. They take our rights away and they limit business. If we are to have a ban on smoking in public places citing health concerns, we have many more things to ban. First, ban the momo industry in Kathmandu. Do they even know how unhealthy is the momo most of the people eat ? Can they ban momo? No, so, why attack cigarette?

Express yourselves guys...I want more people to join me in our fight for the right to smoke...

source: http://dreamnepal.wordpress.com

Im with you

Ali kati lecture diu na hai: Smoking (second hand as well) is a risk factor for cancer and many other comorbids which is equivalent to killing somebody earlier (though s/he is going to die sooner or later). And,

in (total) democracy, there is no rights to kill youself (suiside) or to kill others (homiside). "Democracy" pani re, pheri kine yesto? yo ta bhayena ni, haina ta Bibas?

You may have right to harm yourself by smoking (though I'm not sure!), but I don't think you have right to harm others by smoking in public places. The best solution might not be a blanket ban in all public places, but to allocate some "smoking" areas or cabins wherever possible. I don't know about other places much, but in Japan almost all restaurants have separate smoking and non-smoking tables, and most trains have at least one smoking car. But public buses are usually non-smoking.

Ban all smoking and alcoholism! Common Nepalis will save a lot of money, crime will go down, wife-beating will stop (WOMEN RIGHTS people will support me here, won't they?), stupid antics on roads will be a thing of the past!

yay! ban smoking and alcoholism. die businesses of the people who have businesses that kill people.

comparing MOMO with cigarette just doesn't make any sense. People eat unhealthy momo in ktm because they are cheap and most ppl cannot affort expensive food.
Besides, no one said u STOP smoking altogether. As long as you don't smoke in public places, u are good.

i say: STOP SMOKING:

smokers in democracy you can protest . it is very good reason to tod bhod and tire burninig.plus sit infront of PM office . ask him when he can smoke , we can't we.Also this is wonderful reason to chakajam.No school for kids.Nepal tops poorest country chart as well as the most smoking nation in the world.This is something to be proud of,what do you say??


"CIGARETTE SMOKING IS INJURIOUS TO HEALTH"

p.s: only smoke marijuanna. hehheeheheh

This is an issue about personal liberty Vs. so-called concern about public health...Nothing in this world is without externalities...so, we cannot limit all the externalities...
You driving a car makes me vulnerable to an accident while walking in the sidewalk..so does this mean I should protest against you?

Moreover, how about the smoke that is pumped out of your car? Since it harms my health, is there a reason to ban cars in the streets? I think the danger from such pollution is higher than the one coming from a smoker who is largely invisible in the crowd....

There can be so many examples...we have to accept some of the things as they are...

is there a legal smoking age in nepal? ma ta mero churot tanne baani laageko ma nepal ko sarkaar laai nai dosh dinchhu. ma 15 yrs hunda dekhi suru gareko la ahile 26 yrs bhayo ma. sabai le taaneko dekhne kya majaa aaunchha jasto laagera tanna suru gareko. feri pasal ko saahuji le ni khuru khuru churot diyo malai. ke thaha ek dui choti ko bhool le lat laagchha bhanera. tyo pasal ko saahuji le malai churot nabecheko bhaye mero churot tanne baani nai lagdaina thiyo hola, ki kaso?

Personal liberty? Give me a break. It is your prerogative to smoke to your heart's content, but the point to be made here is that you cannot impinge on someone else's right to good health. Italy, for example, has banned public smoking in 2005. In many bars in certain states in America, smoking has been banned. Second-hand smoke has definitely been found to be unhealthy. There is no issue in this matter.

The point is it is good decision from SC but implementation is really hard.
The good process to start with but there are certain that needs to be implemente first:
1.license to only one /two vendors in certain radius.
2.We id - smokers/drinker need id card to purchase.
3.Minimum age restrictions.
4.More tax on cigarettes and alcohol
5.Different section in resturant or smokers and non smokers.
6.Stricter law guilty of drunk driving and underage smoking and drinking
7.Ban smoking/drinking from public areas- found guilty would be fined and jailed.

This is good way of generating revenue for govt. if cops are not corrupt