We wanted to write about the carelessness with which parents are subjecting their kids to environmental smoke.

Too frequently one can see mothers and fathers pushing a pram or shopping trolly with a toddler taken by one hand and a cigaret in the other hand - the hand that is at the same time pushing the cart - only acouple of inches away tform the child.

Or in all those smoke-filled restaurants (especially in Geneva, Switzerland, where anything goes...). Mothers drink coffee and chat, smoking all along, with babies on their lap. But if one says something, the messenger is the culprit.

Hence this image - - showing the essence of thoughtless and irresponsible smokers' behaviour.

The issue is not "tobacco". The issue is human behaviour. It's about knowledge and the will to be honest and responsible. It's about lies and deceit by business people and share holders in the tobacco industry. It's about people who are lured into a health-damaging and often lethal smoking habit and dependence.

If we want to eliminate the root cause of the problem we must take those measures that are really working

• A total ban on all kinds of advertiments, sponsoring and branding
• An efficient and virtual protection of normal people against environmental smoke in all public domains, inside and outside of buildings. The Los Angeles City council has alrwady gone a far way by recently banning smoking on their beaches.
• Any political and economic support of tobacco manufacturers must be stopped. Tobacco farmers who get subsidies must get the same support for growing an other crop.
• Any cooperation with the tobacco industry must be halted
• Health considerations must prevail above any economic considerations
• The artificial distinction between the young and the adult must be abolished. Banning smoking or the sale of cigarettes to young people is welcomed by the tobacco industry as the lesser evil.
  In fact, such measures allow the industry to continue telling the lie that smoking is adult responsible free choice behaviour. Nothing is less true. As a matter of fact - despite all their denials - the industry is almost totally dependent on children and youngsters to begin smoking.
  Nobody in his or her healthy state of mind would voluntarily decide to become dependent to a product that kills half of its regular consumers.