My aunt was my support, my love, and my attention. When I think of her, I think about the authority she had. She never needed to raise her tone. When I think of her, I think about her modesty and how even the most ordinary flower could make her happy, regardless of the fact that she could afford everything she ever wanted.
Anyone who has quit smoking knows how difficult and painstaking the process is. From the time I was in high school until the age of 29, I saw cigarettes as a reward, a comfort, a five-minute break from work or lectures, and an ideal way to spend time while waiting for city transport.
According to a study conducted by the World Bank, more than one million adults and two thousand children aged 10 to 14 in Bosnia and Herzegovina are daily tobacco users. Not only does tobacco usage impact the users, but also creates issues such as exposing non-smokers to second-hand smoke, and experts warn that even brief exposure warrants risk.
In her book From Outrage to Courage, scholar Anne Firth Murray remarks: “Being born female is dangerous for your health. This reality may not be true for many readers, but for most women living in poor countries around the globe, it is devastating.”
Tobacco came to Europe in the 16th century. In the beginning, only members of the upper class, predominantly men, had access to it. Nowadays, however, it is available across the globe and is easily accessible to anyone and everyone.
No Tobacco Day was celebrated in cities across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) with the interactive multimedia exhibition and artistic performance series called “A Life in Smoke – Save Me!” organized by members of the “Klima Bez Dima” (“Environment Without Smoke”) initiative.