Smokers........... "You Bastards!"

I smoked for most of my adult life. Even after I quit, I never had it in for smokers and before they banned smoking in restaurants, I'd always ask to be seated at the first available table, smoking or non-smoking.

However, having lived in the era when smoking was allowed everywhere and at anytime, let me say that in this regard, life is just a little bit nicer without having to deal with all that smoke and all those butts.

Now, if we could do something about all those damn boom cars.

[edit on 2007/6/1 by GradyPhilpott]

How come so sensitive?
Is it the lack of ability to feed the addiction you so boldly fight for?
Maybe you need to go have a smoke.
Theres the door...

Originally posted by junglelord
How come so sensitive?

The lack of reciprocity?

Did you see the post by another non-smoker that wasn't going for a 9 to 1 non-smoking/smoking scheme because he MIGHT like the place we were sitting?

Theres the door...

Typical, and expected. Next!

Thank you for proving my point.

You cannot defend a product that should not be sold....
unless we strike a deal and I can smoke pot where you smoke tobacco freely in public
other wise suck it up

Originally posted by junglelord

other wise suck it up

Once again, THANKS for proving my point. Care to keep going keyboard warrior?

I have no right to tell people what to do with their own bodies, and have no right to tell them were they can and can not smoke, so I don't.

The only time it bothers me is when somebody stands right next to me, and blows the smoke towards my face. But since I know they have the right to stand there, I just move away for my own comfort.

(Quit smoking a long time ago myself)

Originally posted by intrepid
The lack of reciprocity?

Reciprocity is an interesting word to use in the smoking discussion.

When it comes to smoking, there really is no reciprocity.

If you smoke in my presence, especially indoors, I smoke with you, whether or not I light my own cigarette.

Smoking is an imposition on others in almost all situations. There's really no other way of looking at it.

People should have the right to go certain places without having to breathe the smoke generated by others.

It really is time for smokers to accommodate non-smokers, instead of the other way around, especially in light of the health risks involved.

I do agree to a certain extent that smokers have become a segment of society that is it tolerable to not tolerate and that while we accept things that no society should accept, we take it all out on the smoker.

Still, smoking cigarettes is a terrible addiction that adds nothing to anyone's life and you don't really realize that until you finally quit.

All those cigarettes and all that money burned up for nothing except respiratory and circulatory ailments. Oh, and the occasional fatal forest fire or house fire.


[edit on 2007/6/1 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by junglelord
You cannot defend a product that should not be sold....
unless we strike a deal and I can smoke pot where you smoke tobacco freely in public
other wise suck it up

This is of course, a moot point.

Pot isn't legal in the North American continent. Tobacco is.

Amsterdam is the only place I'm aware of where they legalize 'coffee shops' for pot smokers.

There were alot of businesses, in the last few years, that have lost revenues because of smoking bans - bars/casinos/bingo halls/etc. Smokers had their own 'secluded areas' to smoke in (no health infringement on non-smokers), and yet, the law was passed recently to 'get rid of' the enclosed smoking spaces.

The government went along with this, and yet in the same breath, they still rake in fortunes with 'smokers tax money'. The government hasn't totally banned smoking, but they don't shed a tear when they collect these monies. Where the heck is all this tax revenue going into?

I was joking and if your not interesting in laughing, then I am sorry for you.
God Bless you and your smoking.
may it bring you years of joy

Originally posted by TheDuckster
The government hasn't totally banned smoking, but they don't shed a tear when they collect these monies.

Another good reason not to smoke.

Fewer taxes.

Use those cigarette dollars to play the lottery, which is really a tax on the mathematically-challenged, but at least you might help to send some kid to college and who knows, you might get that one chance in five billion to win.

[edit on 2007/6/1 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
If you smoke in my presence, especially indoors, I smoke with you, whether or not I light my own cigarette.

While I will not dispute that smoking is unhealthy, there are thousands of carcinogens that my lungs absorb that you will never inhale from my second hand smoke. Just fyi.

Smoking is an imposition on others in almost all situations. There's really no other way of looking at it.

Imposition. An interesting word considering all the other 'impositions' that are unhealthy. Keep buying that plastic-ware and driving and using electricity and throwing trash away...

It's all going to add up.

But, go ahead, pick on my personal choice. Just be fully aware of whether or not you and everyone else is capable of pointing that finger back at yourself because I got news for everyone -- there's no innocent person on this chat board.

People should have the right to go certain places without having to breathe the smoke generated by others.

I'd like the right to go places without breathing in toxic fumes from cars, or factories, or being poisoned in my food and drink...

If y'all want to lead a truly healthy life, then I'll jump on the bandwagon. Yes, my individual choice affects your health. Just as YOUR individual choices affect my health. The road goes both ways...

And while I'm all for cleaning up the environment, I don't see anyone complaining about the landfills, or the litter... only their own personal health. Hrm. Now I see where our focus is...



12m8keall2c

Got a match?

Dude, you need to get on that and make t-shirts and pins and whatnot, then add me to your customers list. (Covers a wide variety of 'smokers' *ehem*, so the market is there...)

Originally posted by AcesInTheHole

Originally posted by realyweely
YOUR smoke affects MY health

So go sit somewhere else!

You know people in this world smoke, you choose to go out and be around people. A guy sits next to you that has the flu. You choose whether or not to stay next to him, you certainly can't blame him for getting you sick. If you don't like it, go places where smoking isn't allowed.

Fine ill start a fire in the middle of the street and if you get caught its your fault, you shouldnt have been there.

Amsterdam is the only place I'm aware of where they legalize 'coffee shops' for pot smokers.

The united states should invade Amsterdam and declare a war on drugs on it because it is setting a bad example for the rest of the world. Right now Amsterdam is on the same level as Columbia in my opinion.

[edit on 1-6-2007 by THE_PROFESSIONAL]

Originally posted by Diseria
I'd like the right to go places without breathing in toxic fumes from cars , or factories, or being poisoned in my food and drink...

Throwing the automobile into this argument is really quite pointless, but if you want to play that game, I lived quite well from 1976 to 1996 without owning a car. I did, however, smoke cigarettes for all but a couple of years of that time.

So, who can match that?

[edit on 2007/6/1 by GradyPhilpott]

I agree with you! Believe it or not.

Picking up 'smoking ciggies' was one of the worst things that I did.

I want soooooooooooo much to remember the days that I didn't smoke or had cravings.

When people quit smoking, PLEASE EVERYONE, remember a little tollerance towards them.

If you ever smoked in your life...please PLEASE REMEMBER that there are smokers that want to quit.

For those that are still smoking...NON-SMOKERS please have a little compassion towards the smokers. JUST A LITTLE PLEASE?

Mabey one day, the smokers will FINALLY QUIT!

Until that day, please acknowledge the fact that:

*The human being that puffs beside you, is still a HUMAN BEING! - Please treat that person as such!

*There are many 'smokers' that want to quit - please don't berate them because they smoke - remember these individuals need to 'reconcille differences and are still your equal.

*DO NOT think that you are better than smokers - We ALL have faults - be KIND TO YOUR BRETHERN!

Let's see....
Driving produces toxic fumes.
Driving while talking on a cell phone produces a lethal weapon.
Powering your home produces toxic results. (barring wind and solar power)
Working in most blue collar industries exposes a person to toxic gases.

True story. Working in the diesel-heavy equipment field, at one time, our
company barred us from smoking in the shop. No provisions were made
to route the exhaust gasses out of the building. Wow. Anti-smoker, white-collar at it's best.

Flouride. Toothpaste, and water additive. Look at what this fine chemical
does to a body. Lung cancer, anyone ?
I'll look for more examples, but these should be fun fodder.

Oh !!! Those obese people in a fast food restaraunt that order 3 burgers
and a diet drink. Am I able to cop the same attitude with them, as anti-smokers do, with me ? Pffft.

Regards,
Lex

Maybe its just me, but I just don't see why people smoke to begin with. Is it cool? Does it make you feel good? Does it relieve stress?

If you answered yes to any of those than you need to get a life.

I think they should ban smoking worldwide. too bad that will never happen, from all the money they get from it.

And the whole "YOUR smoking affects MY health" thing... I totally agree with 110%.

I'm a smoker of a little over ten years, and do so primarily to handle stress related isues. It's relaxing for me, and I am well aware of the health concerns and considerations involved - it's my vice, and my only one.

I don't drink, and I don't own a car. I walk 5 miles a day to counteract the effects of smoking on my body to the best of my ability.

I wish I didn't have the urge (or desire) to go out for that cigarette, but sometimes - I just need a break from things.

I never smoke around children or non-smokers, and while I'll be the first to admit it's discouraging to be vilified by the mainstream, I also realize that the "smoker" has long been regarded as a social undesirable.

What gets my goat is the number of "unconcious smokers" there are out there - they'll whine about their inability to light up anywhere they please, yet they never seem to notice the traces of their passing when they leave their smoking area.....cigarette butts lying about everywhere.

That fact alone infuriates me to no end on the smoking issue...at least have the courtesy to place your butts in the proper receptacle when finished. Otherwise, you get no sympathy from me.

I've seen far too many curious children stick extinguished butts in their mouths to chew on, and yes - I've cussed a few "unconcious smokers" out for not being more aware of their aftereffects of their habits.

Smoking should be considered a luxury, not a privilage or a right - and it's a shame such a thing has turned into self medication of sorts...

I see both sides of the issue, but I desperately miss being able to sit at a small cafe and enjoy my smoke while writing and sipping my coffee...it's part of my creative process, for some reason the gentle rise of the smoke just creates an element to the atmosphere that is more condusive to writing.

There are hundreds of places for non-smokers to hang out and enjoy themselves, and now - the only place I can enjoy this element of my lifestyle is at home or being kicked out to the curb and have my writing interrupted because some people just HAVE to have EVERY door and cafe open to their "free air" lifestyles - while at the same time denying others the right to have THEIR smoking lifestyle.

Have we really devolved as a social body to the point that we're going to fight over the very air we breathe?

Looks like it.

*frustrated, and throws in Dennis Learys "No Cure for Cancer" just to relax.*

I lived without a car for about 10 years. Rode a bike. Smoked while peddling down the street. The street that I lived on had a factory that poured out more smoke in an hour than an entire neighborhood of smokers could have churned out in a lifetime. No one complained about that. That smoke was "good smoke". Useful smoke. Money-making smoke. Sounds a little hypocritical to me.
Worked with a pretty blonde girl that was a self-avowed "sun-worshipper" and always sported a tan. She used to warn me that smoking would ruin my skin. We worked at the same place for about 8-9 years and at the end of that time her skin looked like samsonite luggage and she had 3 times had skin cancers removed. We are about the same age and she looks at least 20 years older than me. While I stayed indoors working on my pallor (and smoking), she basted herself in carcinogenic chemicals and deep-fried herself in ultraviolet radiation. Maybe sunbathing should be outlawed?
Talk about a habit that affects the health and well-being of other people? How about drinking alcohol? You think my health is not affected when you go out clubbing with your friends (in a smoke-free bar) and then drive from one place to another? I don't know anyone who's been killed by smoking and driving but even the bars put up signs that warn against drinking and driving.
The point being that there are a lot of unhealthy, risky behaviors going on and singling out smokers is the trendy one right now. We have "tolerance" for alternative life styles, differing religions, opposing political views but somehow smoking is the evil de jure which is immune from hate crime legislation. If you substituted the word "gay" or "Jew", etc. in the place of "smokers" in your suggestions of how to deal with "those people who inconvenience me", would your statements sound rational to you?
We have enough real issues of pith and moment with which to contend in our current political/cultural climate without choosing the cowardly path by picking the "easy targets".

I dont think smoking should be banned, I think people should be more educated into what is right and wrong. I do not like people smoking around me, and I will tell you the dangers of SMALL cell carcinoma, the worst of the cancers that you can get from smoking. If you are diagnosed with this cancer, the doctors wont even resect the tumor it is so bad. Maximal survial is 6 months. Have fun killing yourself. Everyone knows smoking is bad, Im trying to warn. If you develop something i wont feel sorry for you, but I will help you.