Caring For The Future Generation

 

New Zealand's  planned Ban on tobacco ,  makes me smile, for two reasons. The first one - I like the idea and approve of it; the second one, it reminds me of my beloved father (rip).

According to the Media, New Zealand will ban the sale of cigarettes to anyone born after 2008, under a law expected to be enacted next year, to make sure young people never start smoking. 

 

On the day he was told by the doctor he had to quit smoking, my father  just "walked away" from cigarettes  without ranting. He was a quiet, timid person, but had willpower and self-control.

 

                            My father David

Most people have strong opinions on everything, but ..weak character. Thus, many of them easily fall into addictions: tobacco, alcohol, drugs, gambling - to name  but a few (the really bad ones), and can hardly, if at all, get out of it. These addictions could ultimately destroy the addicted and his/her family. They also  heavily affect the State's social and health budgets.

In my father's days, there were no support groups,  online forums, medications, rehabilitation centers. One had to be highly motivated and stop on his own, take matters in his own hands, as they say. It was  challenging but possible.

In general, addictions are seen as "a life long enemy, and recovery as a daily battle". I believe that's true; therefore a lot of thought should be given to prevention. New Zealand's act is a small but positive step in this direction.

Manchester - Jerusalem

The Media told us  there were dead, wounded, and...missing among the victims of the bomb explosion in Manchester last week.

Under explosion circumstances, the 'missing'  are usually dead humans in an unidentifiable condition. 

I happen to know a religious young man who's a volunteer at ZAKA Rescue Unit; his task and that of his colleagues on the team, isׂ (among other things) to collect body remains scattered in the area of the disaster, and help with the identification job of the forensic technician.  It sounds horrible; it is horrible, but someone has to do it. 

ZAKA team in action (web picture)

ZAKA, a civilian volunteer organization founded in Jerusalem in 1995 (activity started several years earlier),  has as its motto: "saving those who can be saved, honoring those who cannot".  ZAKA also operates internationally offering assistance in mass disasters around the world (eartquakes, zunamis, terrorism etc..). They were probably present on the Manchester scene too. Kudos to them for their holy work!

We all know that "prevention is the best cure". This applies not only to health issues , but to other issues as well.

The Manchester suicide bomber, so we're told ,was on the list of 'subjects of interest'. So, what exactly did those with the "list" do about it?  Nothing, it seems; absolutely nothing!  Now, they're investigating.... Good Luck with that, but there is no time; terrorism  has a dynamics of its own.