The Editor, Sir:

I am heartened by the news that the government, through the ministry of health, is moving to have legislation in place by mid-year to restrict smoking in public and private business places in Jamaica.

Jamaica has been a signatory to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on tobacco control since July 2005, so it is high time that we become fully compliant with the strictures of that convention.

Restrictions on sale

Jamaican non-smokers will be better off for not being forced against their will to inhale tobacco smoke that causes or can cause severe discomfort and several health hazards to which smokers are exposed, such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and impairment of normal bodily functions.

Moreover, our health system will not be as greatly strained, financially and otherwise, in having to provide a greater amount of medical treatment to smokers and non-smokers for the many health effects associated with tobacco smoking and the exposure to tobacco smoke pollution.

I implore the ministry of health to consider, as part of this move, restricting the sale of cigarettes only as packaged, that is, only by the pack or carton, with serious fines being imposed on any proprietor or storekeeper who sells cigarettes otherwise.

This move could help to wean some people off cigarette smoking due to unaffordability.

With steps now being taken to allow us to breath a little cleaner air in Jamaica through the enactment of anti-smoking legislation, I trust the Government will avoid our being further corrupted by moving to ensure laws are enacted to ban lewd and violent lyrics, and their associated dance moves, that are being played or practised publicly in Jamaica.

Lewd conduct

The harm of such artistic expressions is much greater than any public good they seek to offer. We cannot allow this kind of lewd and lascivious conduct to continue without the state exerting its responsibility of protecting the public good of Jamaica.

We, as a country, have been slowly descending into a moral abyss, from which there seems no serious effort on the part of our government to allow us to emerge.

The moral fibre of our nation continues to weaken and no one seems to care to appreciate how unfortunate this is for our country's continued existence.

I am, etc.,

KEVIN KO SANGSTER

sangstek@msn.com