Smoking Manners in Italy

by Takeo Maebashi
(Tokyo)

I went to Italy during last summer's vacation. I visited Venice, Rome, and Florence. My first reaction was scorching sunlight and a big population of smokers !!

People smoke in stations, on streets, buildings.... anywhere! They mindlessly throw cigarette butts down on the street, and there are cigarette butts all over the place.

Italian architectural structure and landscape are really beautiful as a picture, but all this trash spoils the view of Italy.

I felt a sense of regret for that.

"Meat is much, but manners is more."
(An old Chinese proverb meaning "When food and clothing are sufficient, propriety and righteousness flourish.")

Smokers should mind their manners to value their tremendous asset!!