Smokers – selfish scum or persecuted minority?

sinman22807

I smoke. No i do not smoke anywhere near my children and I always have a hoodie or something over my clothing so I can take it off and not have smoke on my clothing. Also I agree with the no smoking in public places. People who have asthma and such it could really harm them. I dont smoke near anyone who doesnt smoke. My neighbor doesnt smoke, and I will go down the driveway away from her because she has breathing problems so I dont want to cause any harm to her or her kiddos.

lavieboheme1229

As someone who feels ill around cigarette smoke, I consider smoking to be a public nuisance. Your addiction should not trump my ability to breathe. So, yes, I am in favor banning smoking in public places, just like I am in favor public noise ordinances and open bottle laws. That said, I don't understand people who feel the need to "enlighten" smokers about the dangers of their habit.

So you think you have the right to tell me I cant allow smoking in my own restaurant?

I see your point. BUT- there are more non smokers in the world than smokers. There is an Irish Pub that opened up very close to where we used to live. I was so excited, we could WALK to a bar, and both drink, and have good beer, and chill. AWESOME. Then I found out it was attached to a cigar shop, and you were allowed to smoke in there. So we didn't go. And a LOT of people don't go. I personally think their business would be better if they kept the 2 separate.

That being said, when I was younger, there was a smoking section (the bar), with doors that always remained closed, and the non smoking section (usually the tables) at the restaurant. I personally think that was a happy medium. It stunk when the door opened, yes, but usually that door was far away from tables etc.

I think the hiccup comes in at the "bar" scene. You can't have 2 bars, one for smoking, and one for not smoking. And because there are more nonsmokers, they went that route. Should it be a law? That I can't speak to. I personally appreciate it being a law, but once again, I don't necessarily know if it should be. I can make an informed decision on where I go, just like everyone else.

We walked by a smoker on the sidewalk in a big open shopping plaza last week. I saw them coming, and I held my breath. No need to be obnoxious. She was away from the door to a shop. I personally think smoking is gross, but I'm not going to stop anyone from doing it. It is their body.

gn716

Smoking causes more cancer than people believe. It is not only lung, but it is also the number one reason for bladder cancer. I am nurse, and have you seen anyone die from lung cancer. It is horrible.

My biggest pet peeve is seeing a smoker toss their butts out of the car windows, the earth is not your freaking ashtray...and keep your windows rolled up so I do not have to breathe any of that in.

Thats all.

solyhhit

Wow, just a ton of ignorant statements bundling all smokers as 'scum' and 'selfish'.

That's pretty sad and immature.

crimznrose

Definitely depends on the person. I used to smoke and did feel persecuted against. While I haven't smoked in years (and no plans to start), my husband is still a smoker (about 2 packs a day) and I feel he is very selfish. He's taken vacation savings money to buy cigarettes. He's bounced my car payment check because he'd rather buy his 2 packs a day and gas station starbucks drinks and beer than be responsible (he spends about $15 per day between cigarettes and junk food). I stopped working out last winter because he would come into the garage and smoke while I was doing my workouts - making it hard to breath with all that smoke. He leaves cigarette butts EVERYWHERE - including one that melted a huge hole in my workout mat in the garage.

There are considerate smokers out there - our neighbor waves away her smoke if it's going towards someone else and she always uses an ashtray, but there are the ones out there (i.e. my husband) who only cares about himself and his habit. BTW.....kissing a smoker is definitey the equivalent of licking an ashtray - we don't kiss much because it's nauseating to taste and smell his smoking.

shelbyfrootcake

I love the smoking ban. I'm an ex-smoker and gave up after the ban came into place in the UK. The ban hasn't adversely affected the social lives of me or my friends - we all go out just as we did before and to most of the same places.

I do think that smokers get a far worse rap than they should. Everybody has a vice, we shouldn't be utterly vilified for it.

BAMFMeredith

I don't really think somebody is selfish or whatever if they smoke, and I don't generally take issue with it, unless I'm dating them (I wouldn't date a smoker). But I have plenty of friends and family members who smoke. I've said my piece about it to all of them, they're all aware of the side effects, the risks, and the unpleasant things that go along with smoking, and it's their choice if they wanna continue or not, no big deal. I don't allow people to smoke in my car or home, and there has been a smoking ban in place here for quite some time now. Nobody's really raised much of a fuss about it either, people don't seem to mind having to go outside to smoke (especially since most bars and restaurants here have patios where smoking is allowed, or they have an approved separate area with its own ventilation system for an indoor smoking area), and I know my dining/going out experience is significantly better not having to inhale smoke the entire time. I can't tell you the number of times I got burned by people's cigarettes at bars when I was younger and it was still legal here. I actually get confused when I go places that don't have smoking bans and people are smoking inside a restaurant or something!

While I understand the point of view that it should be the owner of whatever establishment's choice whether or not to allow smoking, I don't agree. Bars and restaurants have to abide by mandated health codes, licensing laws, etc, and I don't see this as any different. If somebody else wants to poison themselves, that's their choice, but I shouldn't be forced to do it too. I'm also not ok with smoking in close proximity to children, or in the car with a child (which is illegal here as well).

Growing up my dad smoked inside our house and in the car, and it was awful. I got teased at school because I smelled like smoke all the time. I would stuff a towel under my door frame and open my windows all the time when I was home in an attempt to vent my room of the smoke smell, but the entire house just smelled like an ash tray. Never smoked cigarettes in my life, but my signature scent in high school was "perfume and cigarette smoke" as one of my friends put it. Gross.

All of that said, I will tell y'all, that watching a close family friend die extremely quickly of stage 4 lung cancer, due to a 35 year smoking habit, was really heart breaking, especially since, as far as we could tell, it was preventable. No history of cancer in her family. She had been advised by her doctor to quit years ago because she was already dealing with emphysema, she never quit, and her cancer progressed so quickly we barely even had time to say goodbye. She left behind a 21 year old daughter, and a husband who doesn't even know what to do with himself now because he's so depressed. Maybe it was inevitable that she would get cancer, maybe it wasn't, but I hardly think her smoking habit was irrelevant.

jealous_loser

Definitely depends on the person. I used to smoke and did feel persecuted against. While I haven't smoked in years (and no plans to start), my husband is still a smoker (about 2 packs a day) and I feel he is very selfish. He's taken vacation savings money to buy cigarettes. He's bounced my car payment check because he'd rather buy his 2 packs a day and gas station starbucks drinks and beer than be responsible (he spends about $15 per day between cigarettes and junk food). I stopped working out last winter because he would come into the garage and smoke while I was doing my workouts - making it hard to breath with all that smoke. He leaves cigarette butts EVERYWHERE - including one that melted a huge hole in my workout mat in the garage.

THIS

BAMFMeredith

Cool I just wrote a novel. Don't worry, it won't hurt my feelings if y'all don't read all that.

BAMFMeredith

I love the smoking ban. I'm an ex-smoker and gave up after the ban came into place in the UK. The ban hasn't adversely affected the social lives of me or my friends - we all go out just as we did before and to most of the same places.

I do think that smokers get a far worse rap than they should. Everybody has a vice, we shouldn't be utterly vilified for it.

I completely agree with you. Everyone has a vice, some are just more dangerous than others.

76tech

People who are inconsiderate *kitten* and smoke, are still inconsiderate *kitten* when not smoking.

A cigarette is not the deciding factor here.

I'll go with Persecuted Minority for 100, Alex...

The obscene price of cigarettes? Incredibly unfair. It's a product, a legal one at that. Why does the government have the right to tax at that level? It's bull.

As a non-smoker, I really wish there were still bars which allow smoking.

butterfli7o

Yuck. I don't think smokers are selfish scum, (unless they smoke while pregnant or in the presence of children) but I think it's just gross. And I'm glad restaurants don't allow smoking. There are plenty of bars here that still do.

deniseearheart

I don't care as long as the stench does not get on me and I would NEVER date a smoker ...

MrsSWW

Well, when I smoked they were a persecuted minority. Then in 2007 I stopped, so they are now selfish scum. Simplez! :drinker:

embercakez

People who are inconsiderate *kitten* and smoke, are still inconsiderate *kitten* when not smoking.

A cigarette is not the deciding factor here.

I'll go with Persecuted Minority for 100, Alex...

The obscene price of cigarettes? Incredibly unfair. It's a product, a legal one at that. Why does the government have the right to tax at that level? It's bull.

As a non-smoker, I really wish there were still bars which allow smoking.

:flowerforyou:

Also I don't think it is fair the cigarettes have so many additives to make it MORE addictive...it's said when it's harder to quit smoking cigarettes over heroin. Funny, they really want us to be healthy! Not.

auroranflash

Still remember when I went to New York to visit a friend. We went to a bar to play pool. There were ASHTRAYS on the counter. I asked the waitress if it was okay to smoke. She shrugged. So I lit up. Then my friend looked at me as if I'd cut the head off of a small child and asked WTF I was doing.

Hilarious.

regnidde

Selfish scum. I can't even sit outside at restaurants because my asthma starts up.

daughterofthesea

I used to smoke and at the time I could see why people smoke - it alleviated my stress and made me feel better. However I can also see why anti-smokers fight against it. I wouldn't say that smokers are selfish or a persecuted minority, they're just people with different choices.

Corryn78

I don't really think somebody is selfish or whatever if they smoke, and I don't generally take issue with it, unless I'm dating them (I wouldn't date a smoker). But I have plenty of friends and family members who smoke. I've said my piece about it to all of them, they're all aware of the side effects, the risks, and the unpleasant things that go along with smoking, and it's their choice if they wanna continue or not, no big deal. I don't allow people to smoke in my car or home, and there has been a smoking ban in place here for quite some time now. Nobody's really raised much of a fuss about it either, people don't seem to mind having to go outside to smoke (especially since most bars and restaurants here have patios where smoking is allowed, or they have an approved separate area with its own ventilation system for an indoor smoking area), and I know my dining/going out experience is significantly better not having to inhale smoke the entire time. I can't tell you the number of times I got burned by people's cigarettes at bars when I was younger and it was still legal here. I actually get confused when I go places that don't have smoking bans and people are smoking inside a restaurant or something!

While I understand the point of view that it should be the owner of whatever establishment's choice whether or not to allow smoking, I don't agree. Bars and restaurants have to abide by mandated health codes, licensing laws, etc, and I don't see this as any different. If somebody else wants to poison themselves, that's their choice, but I shouldn't be forced to do it too. I'm also not ok with smoking in close proximity to children, or in the car with a child (which is illegal here as well).

Growing up my dad smoked inside our house and in the car, and it was awful. I got teased at school because I smelled like smoke all the time. I would stuff a towel under my door frame and open my windows all the time when I was home in an attempt to vent my room of the smoke smell, but the entire house just smelled like an ash tray. Never smoked cigarettes in my life, but my signature scent in high school was "perfume and cigarette smoke" as one of my friends put it. Gross.

All of that said, I will tell y'all, that watching a close family friend die extremely quickly of stage 4 lung cancer, due to a 35 year smoking habit, was really heart breaking, especially since, as far as we could tell, it was preventable. No history of cancer in her family. She had been advised by her doctor to quit years ago because she was already dealing with emphysema, she never quit, and her cancer progressed so quickly we barely even had time to say goodbye. She left behind a 21 year old daughter, and a husband who doesn't even know what to do with himself now because he's so depressed. Maybe it was inevitable that she would get cancer, maybe it wasn't, but I hardly think her smoking habit was irrelevant.

I read it, and it's a bummer you had to go through that as a child. I watch my brother smoke in his house during the week when his daughter is gone and then smokes outside when she is there, and he thinks that's good enough. I pick her up and her clothes stink because both of her parents are smokers. Her mom refused to quit smoking during the pregnancy, and my niece has been sickly since birth. She was born very healthy, but has since had tubes in her ears, sinus infections etc....she might have had these problems anyway...but I tend to think her chances were better if mom had quit.

After losing my aunt to cancer and watching my mom go through chemo, I was done. Not taking any chances.

VelociMama

I've personally watched 5 people I love die from smoking-related diseases (3 from adenocarcinoma, 1 from small-cell lung cancer, and another at the age of 40 from a stroke caused by blood clots in his lungs which was caused by damage from 20+ years of heavy smoking) and another develop severe COPD from living with a smoker for most of his life so I have very strong feelings about this topic.

I lost one last year (small-cell lung cancer). If you don't know what that is, small cell lung cancer is an extremely fatal and malignant form of lung cancer that often spreads so fast that it's rarely caught in time to treat. She suffered horrible pain for months as the cancer spread throughout her body. 3 months before she died, she had 9 tumors in her body including one the size of a baseball in her liver, one in her ribcage by her heart, and another in her bladder. Pain meds did nothing for her bone tumors, and they ended up pushing on her heart causing her to experience decreased blood flow to her extremities, which caused her legs and arms to be come useless in time and clots to form in her legs. She spent the last 3 months of her life in excruciating pain, emaciated beyond recognition because she couldn't eat or keep any food down, unable to leave her bed, unable to control her bladder or bowel movements, and half-delusional. Watching this happen to her and knowing it was preventable was absolutely gut-wrenching on the family. NO ONE deserves to see someone they love die like that from a PREVENTABLE disease. NO ONE deserves to die like that period no matter what their faults in life. Small-cell lung cancer is caused almost exclusively by chronic smoking. It is extremely rare in non-smokers. She also spent the last 20 years of her life unable to walk around for more than 20 feet or so or be active at all from emphysema caused by the smoking. It wasn't just that it killed her, but it destroyed her life and THEN killed her in a horrific way. All the smoking she did around her spouse left him with COPD to deal with on top of his congestive heart failure. Now he's on oxygen full time from the damage in his lungs caused by HER smoking.

Even after all this, I don't really blame the people I lost entirely. Cigarette companies have one objective, an objective they accomplish very well: to make as much money selling a product they know is going to be highly addictive and toxic and eventually WILL kill you in a horrific way but not before it sucks your quality of life away first.

I wish smoking were completely illegal, but too many Americans think they live in a bubble where their actions have no consequences on society as a whole or the people they love.