During the last couple of days, I have started reacting very badly to tobacco smoke. It makes my nose run, my eyes water and turn bloodshot, and my face burn and itch. It is just like the allergic reaction I sometimes get in the presence of lots of dust. This is especially bad because everything here – from the ferries to cafes to bars to palace courtyards – is saturated with smokers and toxic fumes.
That humanity has embraced such a disgusting and anti-social practice so broadly is a fairly strong indictment of our good sense and compassion. The smoking of tobacco surely ranks among the worst of all human discoveries, along with biological warfare and ethnic nationalism.
I agree with you. The one thing someone can do to render themselves immediately and irrevocably unattractive to me is to light up a cigarette. Some smokers do try to be polite about their habit, but they are few and far between. Most light up at the bus stop, or just outside the door of a building, and all (but one) that I’ve seen drop their smouldering butts on the sidewalks and streets. I try to have sympathy – I know it is a horribly addictive drug – but it is hard.
Public smoking bans are an excellent thing. Let people destroy their lungs and induce cancer in the privacy of their increasingly carcinogenic homes.
Cromoglicic acid (INN) (also referred to as cromolyn (USAN), cromoglycate (former BAN), or cromoglicate) is traditionally described as a mast cell stabilizer, and is commonly marketed as the sodium salt sodium cromoglicate or cromolyn sodium. This drug prevents the release of inflammatory chemicals such as histamine from mast cells.
Because of their convenience (and perceived safety), leukotriene receptor antagonists have largely replaced it as the non-corticosteroid treatment of choice in the treatment of asthma. Cromoglicic acid requires administration four times daily, and does not provide additive benefit in combination with inhaled corticosteroids.
Caterpillars that blow nicotine at their enemy