New rules on smoking:

Making the best use of rationality and liberty

Jayantha SENEVIRATHNA

TEMPTATIONS: In one of Maxim Gorky's novels, someone puzzles, "If there are 50 men and 50 women standing in line, stark naked, who would be Adam and Eve?" The answer comes swiftly, "the two without navels."

God on the sixth day of his creation created Adam from the Earth's dust and breathed him life, and then Eve out of his ribs. And, Oh! Adam! Its sheer temptation! You ate that horrible apple and we are all here on Mother Earth to enjoy (or suffer?).

And, for not acting in accordance with the Almighty and the most venerated counsel, you both were punished by the God.

Adam, now you make every effort for mere survival, and Eve, you take immense pains at childbirth. It's all hardships just because of sheer temptation.

Cain and Abel, the first offspring, were not God's creations, but the first human beings supported by Eve's umbilical cord. Thus, the first navel bearers been born on the sacred Earth.

It's all temptations. Smoking, alcoholism, avarice and extravagance are all bad habits moulded into a human being in his early childhood or while in youth. So are favourable habits that lead to a vision in a life such as punctuality, prudence, self-will, etc.

Even though, in rare instances, there are some resolute personalities with lot of intellect and self-will to change circumstances towards their desired destinations, the majority finds it hard to harness such temptations in their favour.

We believe it as their fate, but an innovative breed of policies adopted by governments all over the world seems to extend a helping hand to such people tempting fate.

As a first step, Sri Lankan government made several restrictions on smokers, sellers and manufactures as well. Smoking is just another habit and a temptation.

When passing some critical junctures in your life, you may succumb to your own lethargy, unawareness or indecision that may lead to your downfall. With such indecisiveness, and in utter frustration, you may pamper yourself with a cigarettes or a pint of alcohol.

Even though it is not the solution, it helps you to escape from reality at least for a few hours. The government can interfere in a benign way at such times.

New regulations on alcohol consumption may restrict your freedom to vent frustrations by way of smoking at office, hospitals, public transport, highways, etc.

The government forces you to smother your temptations till Mother Nature calms you down in a few hours. Time heals everything but now with the courtesy of the government.

A habitual smoker not only damages himself, but also makes his innocent neighbours succumb into passive smoking. All in all he attempts his suicide using some mild and lasting tactics while trying to kill others in the same way too.

According to the penal code, both endeavours are criminal. The new laws are set to protect the smoker and to look after the passive smoker too. When a smoker is in frustration, it should not affect adversely on non-smokers.

In fact, the new breed of laws poses a perfect counter balance for the predicament of the non-smoker. The State is looking after us all. The government extends its responsibility a bit far from the limits of securing property and people physically, but helps some irresolute citizens to buy some time till they get settled.

There are few gifted at the high end of the talent spectrum who can manage their lives with self-will and determination, while another few incorrigibles wait at the low end. The majority stays at the middle and they all need help.

They are always willing to change themselves for their own benefit, but lack of intellect, indecision and negligence make things worse for them.

Such people need protective measures adopted by the government for their own good. Only intellects will make the best use of rationality and liberty, but viable solutions are not left in others even though they know their interests better than others. We all can't gain from this freedom.

In the Western world such sort of government patronage is called soft paternalism. As to years of observation and experimentation of a range of human behavioural patterns, they have come to understand basic human weaknesses and blind spots better than a particular individual, and strive to turn such knowledge into the advantage of the people who are not gifted enough to make sensible decisions in their own lives and succumb to their own temptations.

Such kind of paternalism helps people who are prone to be victims of their own emotions rather than settling down into a sensible solution.

For instance, the newly introduced restrictions in smoking will force you to buy some time when in agitation and unease, and with time you will be able to cope with the situation without cigarettes or alcohol.

This sort of legislation is not aimed at preventing you completely from smoking but to deviate you temporarily from an evil addiction without restricting your freedom of choice. You have choices. You can smoke at ease in your private room at home or in a smoker's area in a hotel.

But research suggests that such selfishness is fiercely confronted at home and habitual visitors of smoking areas are looked down at by non-smokers. Who wants to be the bad guy at his own request?

Soft paternalists step in just because the harm smokers are doing to themselves. According to The Economist, the Government of Scotland has already banned smoking in offices, restaurants and pubs.

The Scottish government is a bit hard on smokers in public. They don't just nudge people to do things that are in their best interests. And, in the USA, there are systems to reform people succumbed to temptations.

In Missouri, habitual gamblers can request the authorities to ban themselves from gambling. If they succumbed to their habit they face tough punishments.

Similarly, the majority of smokers hate their own addiction and are willing to stop right away, but lack of will and endless opportunities lure them towards an easy escape.

For instance, some smokers fail to stop the habit even if they are willing to stop just because they find it hard to resist in the face of endless opportunities to smoke.

So the new measures taken by the government to curb smoking in public places are sure to be welcomed by them. This writer, who smokes once in a while, hasn't found a proper place to smoke with the adoption of new laws.

He still craves for a chance, but being a responsible low-abiding citizen he fears to suffer at the hands of the law. How about the arrogant and incorrigible who still show a blatant disregard for the law? The police should take swift action.

Is this all at the cost of your freedom of choice? No, nothing to fear. There are private rooms and parlours to continue your addiction, but at the cost of your poor wife, husband, child, servant or other kith and kin. They are free to continue.

But some people have already decided not use this freedom. They are fear of spoiling their children and making their wives bitter. And, public smoking areas may not become a decent citizen's favourite hideout.

The majority will not use this freedom at the cost of their dignity and peace at home. But what about the minority who wish to continue? We love them all. We need one or two clowns to produce a successful drama. Oh! I wish to be the clown at times. It really is a temptation to act the part of him.