Did you see my link above to the joys of being addicted to nicotine? Look at it and perhaps you'll understand why it isn't as simple as non-smokers make it sound.
Seriously, some people just smoke and enjoy it in the same way that some people like swiss food. Hard to get your head around i know, but true all the same.
The true scandal is the lack of support from the Swiss Politicians/ local councils/ health Insurance companies to fund, educate and facilitate reduction of addiction to nicotine..
Interesting thread, and interesting to read the plaintive posts from "chemgoddess" about how she gets such a hard time for being a smoker and why are people always busting on her for her filthy habit when it's not certain that it's really that bad for health, etc. etc. Well sweetie.. social dynamics are such that if you put yourself in association with a widely disliked group of people you will be disliked. There's no point arguing about scientific studies because that's not the issue. Smokers are disliked because nowadays it would be considered the polite thing not to smoke if your smoke would bother others and while every smoker infallibly claims to do this there isn't one in a hundred who actually does. We all have to breathe their crap everywhere. It's as rude as if they went around spitting on our shoes. You have every right to smoke as long as you do it outdoors or in your own home but you can't complain when people dislike you for it. Smoking increases people's negative perceptions of you, it's a fact. The difference is people here are free to say it, many people you meet in daily life won't say it, but they will be thinking it, don't be under any illusion about that. My default judgment of any smokers I meet is to instantly dismiss them as disgusting feeble-minded losers and not waste my time on them. If I happen to get to know them better later and find they are good/intelligent people then fine, which does happen occasionally, but they've put up a perception barrier that makes things that much harder for themselves. I'd do the same if they snorted coke or had studs all over their face or swore constantly or were drunk at nine in the morning. Your free choice is always yours but then so are the consequences.
disgusting feeble-minded losers and not waste my time on them. If I happen to get to know them better later and find they are good/intelligent people then fine, which does happen occasionally, but they've put up a perception barrier that makes things that much harder for themselves. I'd do the same if they snorted coke or had studs all over their face or swore constantly or were drunk at nine in the morning. Your free choice
Well what a bloody balls up! Just when I really wanted to tear someones extremes off , the quote system wasn`t working.. O.K. This message is for you SEZEGNIN... You are absolutely hiliarious... You`re profession is most definitely a CLOWN, keep, keeping yourself happy... and keep passing JUDGEMENT on addictions, you OBVIOUSLY know what you`re writing about.. and don`t worry BE HAPPY!MANY KIND REGARDS FROM A ADDICT.
Geez louise you ignorant, self-righteous, judgemental, f-cktard. See, maybe you don't get it. I'm defending my right to do what I want with my body. All these people who say mean things to me on the internets would never say them to my face and I'm guessing that includes you. It's easy for people to say in general they don't like smokers over a anonymous forum. Fine, good, yippee, whoo-haa. But I no way implied that I was worried about people not liking me.
It really blows me away that given how obviously looked down upon smokers are, I've managed to ever have any friends in my life. Oh wait, that's because I'm a good person whose fun to be around and doesn't make broad sweeping generalizations about other/different types of people.
I don't think I've ever read a post where someone made themselves out to be as feeble minded as you managed to make yourself out to be. And, btw, don't ever call me sweetie again. You sound like a real winner. Oh, also, I swear too. Guess in your eyes I'm a two time loser. Shucks.
The reason the US movement is currently anti-smoking has nothing to do with a belief that you or anyone else has no right to smoke. The cause stems from the inconsiderate actions from a very large number of smokers. For instance a particular Florida beach became a non-smoking beach this year. The local government voted to prevent smokers from puffing on the beach. You might believe this was done because of second hand smoke, or the general hatred of smokers. If you attended the government meeting you would realize that is not the case. Instead it stems from the smokers polution of the beach, and I don't mean the air. Following one particular weekend during a cleaning of the beach the number of cigarette butts were counted. The beach butts totalled upwards of 5000. Had the smokers dealt with their trash properly instead of throwing butts on the ground the item would have never been brought before the government and the ban on smoking would never have happened. The smokers were treated the same way that people who constantly dropped glass bottles on the beach were treated. Glass bottles are no longer allowed on the beach for the very same reason.
If smokers were considerate of others and didn't pollute there wouldn't be this movement to ban your habit. The rules are really simple. 1) Don't smoke without being considerate of the fact that people/babies/etc have to participate without having to put a cigarette in their mouth, (i.e. this idea of don't go if you don't want to smell smoke doesn't cut it. That means you REALLY don't care about others for the sole purpose to support your habit.) 2) Put your butts and all trash associated with smoking in a trash can. Had the smoking majority/minority (whoever you wish to blame) taken these two very easy steps then the public majority most likely never acts to prevent you from smoking. To blame those that smoke as responsible is foolish IMHO. People won't remove your right just out of spite, ignorance or hatred. They do so because you have forced them to either support your habit at their expense, or clean up the after effects of your habit. It's really that simple. If you don't believe me just read the number of posts above from individuals complaining about going to events whereby someone next to them lights up.
Why are cigarette butts not seen as litter by a lot of people? I damn' near throttled my sister for leaving the things all over the garden as Lottie thinks they're great things to chew (whenever she sees a cigrette butt she points and says her aunt's name...), but they're everywhere. If I blew a large lump of snot onto the pavement every ten minutes, people would be rightly disgusted, so why do they think it's fine to throw nicotine-containing lumps of non-biodegradable fag ends onto the floor?
Smoke by all means (smoke until you can blow your lungs out of your backside when you cough for all I care - just not around my kid), but put the damn' things in a bin or ashtray when your done, please .