Davao City has led the country in aggressive anti-smoking initiatives, foremost of which is the ordinance that banned smoking in many public places. Several years ago, Davao City imposed strict rules against smoking in restaurants, hotels, transportation terminals, etc. Eventually, the national government followed suit and made it into a law.

Now, the city’s legislative body has passed on first reading an ordinance which seeks to ban the sale of cigarettes on city streets. According to an article in Sun•Star Davao yesterday:

The proposed ordinance defined public places as streets, sidewalks, parks, playgrounds, schools and gymnasiums. Those prohibited from retailing cigarettes include sari-sari stores, groceries, supermarkets, public markets and vendors, especially the “takatak” boys.

“This is to complement our Anti-Smoking Ordinance which has been implemented for eight years now,” Laviña said.

Councilor Peter T. Laviña further stated that, with the ban in place, it would be difficult for smokers to buy cigarettes. This would also act as a deterrent for minors, he added.

I am currently a smoker, so whatever I say against this proposed ordinance might be viewed as biased. But do hear me out. Would making it difficult for smokers to buy cigarettes be worth the loss of livelihood among the city’s indigent?

When I buy smokes, I try to make it a point to buy from these takatak boys (ambulatory street vendors who carry wooden boxes filled with different brands of cigarettes and menthol candy). They actually sell Marlboros at a higher price, but I prefer to buy from them. Why? Because I appreciate their effort to make a living and somehow help themselves and their families. Instead of resorting to begging or stealing, these kids — which number in the hundreds, if I’m not mistaken — are trying to get by through sweat and tears.

Smokers will certainly find a way to get their fix, even if it becomes more difficult to do so. They will always find a way. In the end, they won’t ‘suffer’ at all (health-wise, yes, but that’s not my point here). But those cigarette vendors are the ones who will feel the brunt of this ordinance, because they’ll have lost a means to earn money if this ordinance gets enacted in its present form.

I really hope that our city councilors will think this through much more carefully before they proceed with this ordinance.