BASIL MEINTJES: “I’m an ex-smoker. It does bother me when people smoke close to me. But, banning people completely to smoke in public is wrong. Every adult has the right to smoke if they want to.”
THE RECORD asked members of the community, smokers and non-smokers, to share their opinion on soon-to-be-banned public smoking.
Here’s what they shared with us.
FEZIWE MBANE: “Banning public smoking is not a good idea. It’s taking away people’s right to smoke. Most people use their common sense anyway not to smoke in other people’s vicinity if they can help it.”HERBERT STRIRK: “I think it’s wrong. I don’t smoke, but I’ve no issue with people who smoke around me – I enjoy seeing them happy. Smoking will not kill you – illness is a state of mind, in my opinion.”MJ JWAYI: “I disagree with this new rule, because every person of legal age has the right to smoke if they want to. People must just smoke responsibly – not close to non-smokers or children.”NONHLANHLA MASEKO: “I think it’s very unnecessary to ban public smoking completely. There are already effective implements to keep smokers and non-smokers separated. This new rule is not a good idea.”