I used to smoke once in a while, never as a habit. Then a friend of mine, heavy smoker, told me one day he wasn't feeling well. 60 days later he was dead, lung cancer. I decided I didn't need to smoke anymore. That was 13 years ago.
That stat quoted above, that lung cancer is the same in smokers and non-smokers sounds like b.s.

 

tobacco is tobacco... lol

 

what the **** is up with you people anyway? how often do people walk up to you and blow smoke in your face?

no one does that, rofl

 

Wrong. I was at a sports bar the other day with some friends. We were sitting at one of those bar tables (the tall ones where you sit on barstools instead of normal chairs) next to a normal table. There were two people at the normal table that sat at an angle and blew their smoke directly at us. They appeared to be trying to blow it upwards (like smokers do, pretending to try not to blow it at the people around them), but since we were sitting higher than them, it came directly at us. So, effectively, yes... they were blowing smoke right in our face.

Regardless, even if you aren't blowing it directly at them, it is still inconsiderate to smoke around other people. It has obvious effects on people with asthma & other breathing issues. It also irritates peoples eyes, and personally I just don't want to go home from a bar/restaurant smelling like a cigarette when I don't even smoke.

I don't piss in your face, don't blow smoke into mine.

 

[QUOTE=mxt_77,Sep 17 2008, 11:01 AM] Wrong.

 

I'm not pretending when I blow it in a different direction, but I'm not naive enough to think that it's completely hiding the fact that there's smoke. Just minimizing the inconvenience for the other person.

It's a gesture, like many other things people do, to show you're aware it might be unpleasant (for some) but that you're aware of it.

When you get in someone's way in your car and wave "thank you" in your car, are you pretending to be courteous?

 

That's always the response from smokers. For some reason, they should be allowed to infringe on my ability to breathe fresh air, and I'm the one that should be inconvenienced, even though my actions have no negative impact on them. By that argument, I should be able to shoot someone in the head, unless I'm in a place that doesn't allow guns. If they don't like it, then they shouldn't go to places that allow guns.

Like I said, I don't piss in your face, so I'd appreciate it if you don't blow smoke in mine... even if you're blowing that smoke from 15 feet away (hey... I've got pretty good range w/ my pee, too).

I deal with smoke because I have to... because others aren't considerate enough to limit it to places where it won't affect non-smokers. However, that doesn't mean that I like it, and it doesn't mean I won't b!tch about it. The fact of the matter is that smokers are inconsiderate simply by their choice to smoke anywhere but in the privacy of their own home. If you think otherwise, then you're mistaken.

 

The comparison of shooting someone in the head is a silly one because the it involves an intent to commit harm to another, thereby making it illegal (in most cases). Anything you do to another person with intent to upset or harm them is against the law in one way or another be it harassment, assault or otherwise. Ambient smoke coming towards you is none of those things.

It may be inconsiderate in your mind, but I think they are being considerate by smoking in a designated space: the smoking section or a completely smoking restaurant.

People have a right to smoke. They don't have a right to kill or hurt others.


Either way, I would call myself a very considerate smoker. I ask people in my own home if they mind me lighting a cigarette or if they'd prefer I go outside. I don't know how much more you want from people other than to never smoke again. That's not an option in my opinion, unless you're ready to give up your rights every time someone says they have a problem with something you do.

 

And non smokers feel they should be allowed to infringe on my ability to smoke. What's the difference?

There's enough regulations set for where you can smoke, if it's allowed, it's allowed. How is this a question of considerate?

Am I allowed to smoke here? Yes? fine I will, if someone who doesn't smoke happens to be in the same room, that's the breaks.

 

<---smoker

-- I never smoke in peoples houses or cars. I smoke in my car...but it's my car

-- I dont smoke in my own home

-- I dont smoke in restraunts even if they have a smoking section

-- I smoke in bars, clubs and pool halls and places like that because by default they are completely filled with smoke anyway from EVERYBODY else who smokes so in those places. I feel that you are just S.O.L. if you object to smoking in public....deal with it.

-- I smoke outside and try to avoid being near people who dont smoke. If you object to that you are welcome to adjust your position to be up wind or leave my immediate area.

I am considered by every non-smoker I know to be one of the most considerate smokers on the planet.

If you object to anything in life, you have the responsibility to make a concious decision to be subjected to it. If a restraunt allows smoking and you dont like it, you simply decide to either continuing to patronize the establishment or not.

Freedom is not a one way street.