Goodbye Bacon

Goodbye Bacon

       After the 19^th century, the cigarette market developed quickly, and it became one of the top markets in China. Nowadays, the big population in China is not the only reason the country is well- known; it is also known for its long history and huge population of smokers. People are surprised to learn that charming men and pretty women were allowed to carry some long or short, expensive or cheap cigarettes in restaurants, offices, airports, and even airplanes in China! Yes. People are allowed to smoke wherever and whenever they want. Can you believe one billion three hundred million people are living in a barbecue country? In order to save people’s health and cut the smoking population, the Chinese government implemented “non- smoke China” policies and clean indoor air ordinance in the last few years. These policies have become a long term reformation, and the smokers are facing a big challenge that they have never met before. Right now, this smoking reformation is taking an unimaginable effect on my family.

       The first person influenced by this reformation was my grandfather. Because of his work environment and life circumstance, he has always been surrounded by smokers. He had to join this “army” when he was eighteen or he would be labeled as a traitor. As a result, he treated cigarettes as his daily food. After thirty-eight years of smoking, a new policy was instated that restricted the sale of cigarettes to specific stores, and my grandfather was sacrificed in this reformation. Under this policy, my grandfather could only buy his food at a  store with permitted, and it was hard to buy a large amount of cigarettes at the same time. Because of the limited access to cigarettes, he became listless and got angry easily. All his acts were telling us he was quitting smoking. However, the poor amount of his food didn't have enough time to rebuild his body system before cancer set in. As a result, my grandfather was a loser in this reformation, and we lost him forever.

       In addition, children are the shadows of parents. Since my father’s childhood and adulthood were surrounded by my grandfather’s smoking every day, there is no doubt that my father became a smoker too. However, he is not only a smoker, but also a smoke-making machine. Every day when he comes back home from work, my mother has to keep turning on and off the smoke detector. Then, the next day, my mother and I smell like bacon because we were barbecued by my father all night! Fortunately, the new ban on indoor smoking saved my mother and me from this barbecue party. Under this policy, my father enjoys his barbecue party in a specific area, such as balcony or under the kitchen ventilator . In the first year, my father went out to smoke over thirty times a day, but this year, we are happy to see that eight times a day are the maximum for him.

       Finally, the two women in my family are getting the big benefit in this reformation. With the limit on the quality of buying cigarettes, my grandmother and my mother get extra money for buying our real food. With the limit on where a person can smoke, my grandmother, my mother and I are starting to enjoy a real barbecue party. We can now smell the food cooking in the kitchen. In addition, with the specific smoking area for my father at home, I could say goodbye to my best friend - my indoor allergy. Without the second-hand smoke, my two beautiful women in my life have become healthier and happier.

       Today, although the big smoking population still exists in China, the barbecue grill is under control, and the overcooked situation is disappearing. This reformation had a mixed effect on my family in the beginning, but we are now satisfied with the great process. Furthermore, my family also believes that someday we can sift through the layers of smoke and have a clean indoor air environment.