Ban spitting in public

Spitting in public is a bad habit, whether you are spitting due to any problem or just out of habit. Spitting in a public place indicates both lack of civic sense and poor awareness on hygiene practices. There is something else that gets very little or no emphasis — avoiding spitting in public. Both smoking and spitting in places of public work or use and public service vehicles, mandates display of boards pinpointing that both are offences, and are punishable with fine. People should be made to feel that spitting does not reflect good on them. This coincided with greater awareness of the transmission of contagious diseases that could be spread by spitting.

From a health perspective, spitting can spread infectious agents to others. Other diseases that are spread through saliva include TB, hepatitis, viral meningitis, cytomegalovirus - a common virus similar to the herpes virus - and the Epstein-Barr virus, which is a common herpes virus that causes many diseases such as glandular fever. It is observed that most people find spitting a wholly obnoxious, filthy habit which can spread germs and causes health issues.

Vinod C. Dixit,

Ahmedabad