Question: Is it morally alright for Buddhists to buy duty-free cigarettes for those who ask for the favour?
Answer: It is not alright as you will be feeding a potentially deadly habit that can lead to cancer. This habit also creates much second hand smoke, that causes many more cancer cases than expected. Other than the smoker polluting oneself and others’ bodies, the smoking also further pollutes the already polluted environment.
To support potential ‘killing’ of oneself and others is against the spirit of the First Precept against killing. Although there is no precept directly against smoking, there is the Fifth Precept against taking of intoxicants such as alcoholic drinks. In essence, drinking and smoking can be equally bad habit-forming and addictive.
While becoming drunk can impair mindfulness, which causes breaking of other precepts, craving another smoke can cause restlessness, which is a kind of unmindfulness too. Since smoking is a physically and spiritually bad habit, which goes against the spirit of the First and Fifth Precepts, it should not be supported.
Related Articles:
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https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2024/04/how-to-quit-bad-habits-like-smoking
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https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2016/08/does-smoking-break-the-fifth-precept
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https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2011/10/you-are-always-in-control
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https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2023/12/is-it-alright-to-take-breaks-from-what-is-right
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