Are people too hard on smokers?

[Jason Fayers]

As long as the person is a considerate smoker and not a heavy one I don't see the problem. When I say considerate I mean they don't smoke inside, around children or be completely ignorant of where them smoke is going, as long as they can keep that up most of the time I'm fine with it. Oh, and they have to not pressure me into smoking in return I wont pressure them into quitting.

Smoking has become demonised and is nowadays seen as a devient habbit so everyone is free to hate on them, I am kinda nostalgic for smoky pubs though...

 

[RUINER ACTUAL]

Yes. Smokers are the only part of the American populous that are still discriminated against.

 

[Fetzenfisch]

I loved the time when i was riding my bike to a bar , some dude with his crappy car in front of me, blocking the road, making the air behind him nearly unbreathable with his exhaust fumes, he stopped in front of the same bar as i locked my bike and lit a cig, he instantly complained why i had to light my smoke right next to where i could see he would leave his car. . i could just laugh at him.
I will fight for my right to do what i like where i like. If some backwards rednecks can defend their rights to accidentally or affectionally shoot their family and neighbours, i can happily and illogically enjoy my smoke, outdoors mostly nowadays, there's just one bar (the one mentioned before) in town that allows it indoors up to now.

 

[Zaverexus]

I would not want to be around someone who smokes in nearly any case because they already betray what I believe to be two of the most important qualities of people:

Intelligence: No matter how smart the person may be, if they are smoking they lacked the common sense or moment of thinking to realize they are doing something that ruins their health and will inevitably kill them.

and Self-control: I don't care how difficult it is to quit smoking, it has been done and there are a million different aids that supposedly make it easier, you should have the mindfulness and control to realize you are doing something stupid and stop.

 

[NDstephan]

My dislike of smokers is threefold.
1) You are killing yourself and those around you by smoking. You may be doing so by choice but if you have children; they are inhaling your second hand smoke when they don't have a choice. My sister has chronic bronchitis because of my parents smoking. She couldn't get insurance because of a "pre-existing condition" and now that she can she has to pay nearly 150% more for it.
2) You are placing a huge burden on the rest of us financially because of the rise in healthcare and insurance costs. (As mentioned above)
3) You demand special treatment while at work. ie "Smoke Breaks". At my last job I was the only one who didn't smoke. I kept track of how much time was lost due to these extra breaks and we lost nearly 3 hours of work a day and when I had the audacity to ask if I got an extra break every hour and a half during the work day (like smokers do) I got my lunch break shortened by 10 minutes while they enjoyed an hour of PAID breaks every day.

 

[X3N0N]

We are not hard enough on smokers. In fact, we need to crack down harder; with the current number of smokers, we'd be so royally screwed in a zombie apocalypse. Nobody would be spared from the rooftop tongue rape.

 

[Lizardon]

People are definitely to mean to smokers

Honestly though I don't want to be around anyone smoking because of the smell.

 

[Kenami]

Meh! justdon't blow it in my face and I don't care.

Pretty much this. I personally find it a disgusting waste of time but one of the most important lessons I feel anyone can learn during adulthood is that people will always do things that will bother you, so simply live and let live. If someone wants to kill themselves with cigarettes I frankly don't see why I should care about it.

 

[The Heik]

I was recently reading a thread that asked the question: "what are your deal breakers?" I noticed there was a very large amount of people who claimed smoking was an instant deal breaker, no matter the person, some even going as far as saying they would not even befriend someone who was a smoker.

Now I don't smoke myself, but am I the only person who thinks people are way too harsh on smokers? I find it shocking that so many people are willing to shun someone over one habbit. It seems to me smokers are one of the relatively few groups people are willing to openly hate.

What are your thoughts on the topic?

Personally I think that we're not being hard enough.

It seems that many people forget what a cigarette actually is. It's a drug. Not only that, but it's also the most insidiously addictive drug on planet earth because you get a craving for it every hour or so, and it's cheap so your addiction is easy to fuel.

Moreso smoking has absolutely no redeeming value whatsoever. Smoker's are quite literally killing themselves for what? A nicotine high which might calm them down for twenty minutes (after which they're abrasive until their next hit)? That is worth poisoning several parts of their bodies for?

So honestly, don't defend the smoking of cigarettes. It's the singular most evil product that man has ever created, and saying that it's ok for people to do it is damning them to a vicious cycle they may never escape. Smokers need help, just like any people who are addicted to drugs, not permission to do it more.

 

[Somniferum]

I don't know about the US, but here in the EU most countries have (had) public pension systems. In many countries those failed horrificly, for the sole reason that too many people are getting too old and the balance between people paying into the system and people receiving pensions tipped too hard to be sustainable.

Instead of saving up or investing into unreliable private pension schemes, I invest my money in tobacco, so I won't end up straining the public pension system for unnecessarily long. I'm a selfless hero and I want a god damn medal like right now!

On a more serious note:
I really can't say if people are generally too hard on smokers, but I definitely think they are going about it in completely the wrong way(s). The smoking ban in pubs for example is absolutely retarded from my personal experience. Even before I was smoking I didn't mind the smoke in pubs. It was what you expected.
I've been living in Ireland for almost exactly as long as the smoking ban has been in effect.
When you enter a pub now, the first thing you notice is still the smell. But instead of tobacco it's now sweaty-drunk-people-smell, which I find infinitely more disgusting.
But the absolutely most retarded thing about the ban is that the later it gets, the more people are standing outside of the pub. So instead of a hundred people stumbling drunkenly around inside a pub, you get a hundred people stumbling drunkenly around on the street, falling in front of cars and dropping glasses on the sidewalk and three-and-a-half non-smokers sitting alone inside the pub, having oh such an amazing time...

Don't get me wrong, when I'm walking around outside, I try to keep my smoke as far away from kids as I can, but when you are in a pub, you are a group of adults intent to destroy several of your organs with maximum efficiency, so what difference does damaging one more organ really make?

 

[Macrobstar]

"I don't know why people smoke."

A common phrase uttered by the befuddled outsider with a simple answer. Because it makes them feel good. We don't shun people for having eating fast food but we do shun this sort of behaviour? Ridiculous. As long as it doesn't affect anyone else, I'm fine with it.

Bring me a casual smoker and I'll treat him like I would anyone else. Bring me a parent who feeds their kids McDonalds twice a week and I'll kick 'im down and slap some sense into him.

Although care obviously must be taken like making sure to do it in private, outside and far away from anyone who might dislike it.

Because second-hand smoke can cause long-tern damage. Me eating a cheeseburger won't affect you any.

I have friends who smoke, but I won't let them smoke indoors, in my car, or stay overnight.

Yeh but as someone has already said, exhaust fumes from cars are far more harmful to you, so do you hate people who drive cars?

 

[Stealthygamer]

It's bad for you, but if you are doing it eventually it will hurt you

 

[Shadowcreed]

basically being around a smoker is harmful to YOU as well - i don't care if someone smokes, just don't do it when I'm around or I'm just going to walk away.

 

[Togs]

This thread is a mix of lulzy and plain scary at how fervent some of you are in your smoker hating.
One of the things that seems to come up time and time again is the health risks, and I think some of you have bought into hysteria about passive smoking- it requires repeated exposure in a enclosed environmnent- if you pass someone in the street whos having a fag your not gonna spontaneously develop emphysema- it takes years for those who are actually doing the smoking themselves to get it for fucks sake.
And as for personal health risks, why is it any of your concern what I do with my body?

As the good Ms Arendt said "get a grip".

 

[Jonci]

I haven't thrown off any friends for smoking, though I refuse to be near them when they light up. Cigarette smoke is vile. I definitely would not date a smoker. It is an instant redlight, because someone that willingly poisons themselves is hard to trust in a relationship. Plus I don't want the smell, taste, or the hassle of making sure they don't smoke inside my place or my car.

 

[LuckyClover95]

Defo, each to their own, if a smoker enjoys what they do why should people discriminate because of it? To be fair, this forum is a fairly snobby place a lot of the time

 

[Exterminas]

Actually the thing is really easy, isn't it?

Here are the facts and what we can conclude from them:

Smoking is dangerous for your health.
-> Nobody should be forced to subject themselves to smoke
-> No smoking in public areas without fresh air

People are free to kill themselves whatever way they want.
-> People are allowed to smoke where they don't harm others.

Really simple, see?

Of course there are side-points to be cleared, for example wheather or not smokers should recieve lower sallaries for the breakes they take. But I think these two points are the core of the "problem"

Personally I don't believe people are too hard on smokers, simply because there is no such thing as a smoker. There are only people who choose to smoke. If the constant nagging annoys you, stop or get better friends. No one has to be a smoker.

That is also the reason why smokers can not be subject to discrimination: You have a choice. A really easy actually, because there are no reasons to smoke, aside from "I can do it"

 

[TheDooD]

I mind smokers well over people that drink, I can't stand drunks.