overseas and smoking

[Godless Dave]

Adora, your attitude is what turns me off about many anti-smoking advocates. You seem to be confusing two completely different arguments, one of which is valid, one of which is not.

You have every right to not want to inhale other people's second-hand tobacco smoke.

What other people do to their bodies, no matter how destructive, is none of your damn business and does not need to be justified to you.

[Desert Dweller]

I know we have members that live in foriegn lands.

This wouldn't be American-centric would it?

Smoking has recently been banned here in NSW Australia. Soon it will come into effect in bars; restaurants and public buildings became non smoking ages ago.
Interestingly the HighRoller section of the Sydney Casino will permit smoking...so it's against the law unless you're really rich!

[Nex]

Originally Posted by Adora

I hate smokers with a passion.

< voluntarily edited >

Jeez. Boy howdy. Golly gee whillikers. It's one thing to not want to be around, or involved, in something. Quite another to hate people for it. Reminds me of fundie hatred for gays.

Kind of verges on bigotry, doesn't it?

[Goliath]

When I was a kid, I was around second hand smoke all the time. My parents and grandparents smoked a lot. Back then, the only kind of cigarette "smoke" that I didn't like was from Lucky Strikes (and that's why I put "smoke" in quotation marks...for those of you who don't know, Lucky Strikes emit a cloud that, while technically is smoke, seems more like a cloud of liquid tar that somehow defies gravity).

However, my grandparents and my father have died, my mother quit smoking a long time ago, and my stepfather doesn't smoke, so I'm usually not around smoke that much, and now I'm a lot more sensitive to it.

But, I don't hate smokers. I think that they're harming their body, but then again, I'm a horrid, ogrish fatass, so I'm not the one to talk to others about health.

[Desert Dweller]

I wonder what it is about smoking that brings our such verement attitudes?

Road accidents kill more people. Why don't people "hate" drivers?
As a nicadict I avoid smoking around others, which is getting easier as there are fewer and fewer public places available. I smoke at home (outside) and in the car (window open).
If I was a herion addict there's lots of help I could get. For an alcoholic there's lots of support available.
What is it about the do-gooders that they just don't understand the nature of nicotine addiction?
The worst of course are reformed smokers...oh spare me the dribble from this lot!
After all the tax I've paid on tobacco it seems reasonable to expect there might be some assistance? But no, there's none.

[Adora]

Originally Posted by Nex

Kind of verges on bigotry, doesn't it?

Do I look like I care? I said at the beginning of my post: Pussy lungs make me unsympathetic to fuckers who want to kill themselves slowly with such poisonous drugs, and harm others while doing it.

Maybe, in the end, what I don't feel is outright real hatred. Maybe it's anger at them for doing it. Maybe it's anger at BigTobacco for causing such a social disease. Maybe it's anger at their chosen stupidity in the same way I feel anger at Fundies who choose ignorance. Whatever it is, maybe it's not hatred. *shrugs* When I'm standing at the lights in the city though, and some fucko in a suit inconsiderately blows smoke into my face, I still want to stub the thing out in his eye. Is that hatred? You decide.

As for this...

What is it about the do-gooders that they just don't understand the nature of nicotine addiction?

Maybe they understand, but just don't care? I'm not talking from experience, because I'm not trying to make people quit. I'm just here to feel antagonistic towards smokers for the fun and entertainment of others. But it's just a suggestion.

[Nex]

...and I thought I had anger issues...



Yes, I'd say you're a bigot Adora.

Arguing with bigots is a waste of time, as they are by nature irrational and unreasonable.

*Edited to add: I'm sorry we couldn't have met under friendlier circumstances. Ah well... c'est la vie.*

< leaves thread >

[godfry n. glad]

Yo! Bub!

Getcher ass over to Asia. East Asia, at least. In Kyoto, Japan, the nation's cultural showcase, there are a multitude of street vending machines. Those vending machines sell three basic products: canned coffee beverages, beer and cigarettes. Anybody can purchase this stuff at any time (they put warning stickers on each one warning that purchasers need to be 18+ years of age...that must work really well).

All across China, smoking seemed to be allowed almost anywhere. Train cars, stores, restaurants....it was like a flashback to...um...Las Vegas. Or, 1959.

I'm a former smoker. 25 years, ending with a pack, plus, a day habit seven years back. I don't like the smell of second hand smoke and I particularly don't like the smell of places where smokers have had a concentrated presence for a significant period of time....yeeeeeeeuck. What a nasty smell. And many (not all!) smokers smell that way, too. I call it the "uncleaned ashtray" smell.

I try to stay off the soap box, though. 'Cause I remember how the "holier than thou" folks affected me. I finally quit because my wife wanted me to and I was coughing and horking up copious quantities of phlegm. Especially when I wasn't smoking....

And smokers... I wouldn't worry too much. Soon all those folks who want to pay less taxes will offload much of their tax burden on you smokers, drinkers and gamblers. The schools will soon be dependent upon tobacco tax revenues, alcohol tax revenue and lottery ticket sales.

Thanks! I appreciate you guys paying for the stuff I don't need anyway.

godfry

[Zoot]

I live in New Zealand. I smoke cigars. I recognise that second-hand smoke causes cancer, and that some (very few, I find) don't like the smell of cigar smoke. I have conflicting thoughts regarding the issue. My libertarian instincts tell me the state has no place telling me where to smoke. However, those same instincts tell me that potentially inflicting lung cancer on others is an intrusion on their liberty.

So ultimately, I'd like smokers to smoke outdoors, but I'd like it to be their choice to do so, rather than a result of legislation. Of course, as Raoul Shabadoo will no doubt point out, people tend to end up choosing what they grew up with as legislation. It'll become second nature to the next generation of smokers to smoke outside, never having known any different.