You must have seen, read and heard millions of stories against smoking and you must be fed up of them. So bad news is that this is one of them. Most stories focus on the ill health of the smoker and no one cares for the passer bys. This is a story about passive smoking. It is not a true story but you can make it true.

Rishav had a tough time in his office and the only thing which could soothe him was a good lunch. So he went to Café Noir for some spaghetti. After a hearty meal he lit his cigarette and started reading an old book. Suddenly his cousin Ritu arrived. Seeing her he extinguished the cigarette.

“Hi Ritu, sit down. Would you have something?” He noticed her eyes. It was swollen and red. Evidently she had cried vigorously.

“Is everything all right Ritu? Were you crying?”
“Yes Bhaiya. I was crying. I lost Richa.”
“Your daughter, Richa has got lost?”
“Not lost. It would have been better if she had but no she has died.”
“Are you serious?”
“Would I joke on such a topic?”
“No. I am sorry. Have you told ma?”
“Not yet. I didn’t have exact words to tell her this.”
“How did she die?”
“Passive smoking. She had brain tumour. It kills 53000 people per year. This year Richa was one of them.”
He tried to console her though mostly lacked words to do so. She burst out crying. Rishav called his office and said that he would be late due to some unavoidable reasons. He brought Ritu to his home and asked his wife, Minty to take care of her and asked his daughter to play and give company to Ritu Aunty. Having some really urgent work he had to excuse himself.

On the way he thought “Passive smoking kills 53000 per year. I also smoke. How many children have I killed? How could I be so selfish? I am a murderer. I should be punished. So many innocent lives lost because of me.”

He took out a cigarette but couldn’t smoke.
“I can’t help those who suffered due to me but the least I can do is to quit smoking.” And he did that. He threw his cigarette on the floor and never touched it again.

He started the change, when are you doing it???

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