Brett's Blog: 7 Places they should Ban Smoking
September 15, 2008 | by Brett Blumenthal | 52 Comments
by Brett Blumenthal
Let’s face it, smoking is a controversial topic. If you smoke, you probably feel that it is your personal right to smoke and that you should be able to do so anywhere you want to. On the other hand, if you don’t smoke, you probably feel that those who smoke around you invade your personal ‘healthy’ space; and that your health is being jeopardized due to other people’s personal choices.
I tend to have an extreme sensitivity to smoke. So much so, that when I’m driving on the highway, I can tell if someone is smoking in a car 100 feet in front of me. I kid you not. I am that sensitive. I’m not sure this level of sensitivity is typical, but I do know that many of my friends and family are also very sensitive to smoke and don’t really like to be around it. Granted, we have come a long way in regards to no-smoking laws, but from a non-smoker’s perspective, I think we could go a lot further.
Obviously, there are smokers who are very sensitive and try to minimize their impact on others, but unfortunately, many smokers aren’t. My friend Amy D. and I were chatting about this and we agreed that there are certain places where smoking seems contradictory to the perceived experience, and as a result, we wish no-smoking laws would be passed for these places. At the risk of offending some very nice smokers (it isn’t you, it is the smoke), here is our list:
- The Beach:
- Perceived Experience: You will get a healthy dose of the smell of salty, sea air as the warm breeze relaxes you and your toes play in the sand.
- Reality: When people smoke at the beach, the beautiful ocean breeze wafts smoke instead. Further, many people (not all people, but many) discard their cigarette butts in the sand, creating a landfill of cigarette carcasses.
- Parks/Nature Preserves:
- Perceived Experience: You leave the city to get away from the smog and pollution. You look forward to the beautiful fresh, clean air of the mountains and running streams.
- Reality: Your hike through the wilderness is taken over by smoke instead of the smell of pine trees. Not only do you need more oxygen because of your hike and altitude, but now you need oxygen because of the smoke.
- Outdoor Cafes:
- Perceived Experience: It is a beautiful day and instead of eating all cooped up inside, you dine al fresco, hoping to enjoy the warmth of the sun and a light, natural, non-air conditioned breeze.
- Reality: Many restaurants don’t let people smoke inside, but yet, they haven’t extended that law to their outside facilities. As a result, you end up preoccupied with the quality of your air than the quality of your food.
- Marathons / Triathlons / Ironmans / Bike Races:
- Perceived Experience: World class athletes are pushing themselves to the max. Oxygen is their life and their fuel.
- Reality: While at the Boston Marathon, I was blown away by the number of people who were smoking at the finish line. The poor athletes just had completed a 26 mile course, only to be greeted by clouds of smoke. So much for a cool down with quality oxygen intake.
- Skiing/Snowboarding:
- Perceived Experience: Much like the ‘Parks/Nature Preserves’, you escape to the mountains for some one-on-one with nature, snow and skiing. You look forward to the majestic views of the slopes from your favorite chair lift.
- Reality: The people in front of you on the chair lift are taking their 10 minute smoke break. You feel like you are in a tobacco plant as the breeze gently carries the smoke down the mountain back at you.
- Zoos/Amusement Parks:
- Perceived Experience: You look forward to seeing your children’s faces light up while watching the lions, tigers and bears. Oh, my!
- Reality: You and your children feel like you are soon to be on the endangered species list as you vie for a smokeless viewing point.
- At Entrances of Bars and Public Buildings:
- Perceived Experience: Yes, you found a popular bar to go to for your Friday night outing. That is okay, though, you’ll be on line with your friends.
- Reality: Since your local city doesn’t allow smoking inside the bar, all of the smokers crowd outside of the front door to inhale their favorite ciggy. The wait with your friends isn’t so pleasant after all.
Are there any places that you wish would outlaw smoking?
Related Topics:
- Breathing and its Benefits
- Top 10: Bad Gym Etiquette
- Thank God I wasn’t THAT Person!
- Should the Government Ban McDonald’s?
Ok, i agree with most of you guys.
-if you want to smoke, smoke then its your life and no one should be telling you what to do
– but also think about your life, dont you want to live a long healthy life and be with your family.?
– as a matter of fact ive had many family members die from cancer, and yet still some of my family members decided to go on with the “trait”, i look at them and honestly there living the most fucked up life, my father never smoked and my mother either and they are as happy as cockadoodle.
well this is what i have to say about smoking, hope it helps.
DR.ROMERO
if u need to get rid of stress, get your freaking pillow and squeeze it!
gawsh not only are you hurting yourself, your hurting your family and friends as well.
This is a supposedly free country. It is one thing to ask for no smoking in an enclosed are, see( common sense), but outdoor? really , how much car vapor, volcano eruptions, cosmic radiation do you suppose we all are exposed to. Mankind is still here, after all these years.You will safety yourselves into a personal prison.There are far too many rules and regulations as it is. Everyone is running around…scared, I am scared, this will hurt, me fat will hurt me , meat will kill me ,flu pandemics, global warming, terrorism, its almost all media hype, studies paid for by the people who want a certain result…really, look around, aren’t there alot more things to be concerned about than whether I have a cigarette in your vicinity or eat one too many doughnuts, or like a certain scent that is stronger than the one you prefer?
I say if you want to smoke then smoke, if you dont then dont. I personally dont, I grew up around it and hated it. My hubby does it but only at work. I say weither you do or dont. be considerate.
when people realize that its not all about them, then things will become clear. I agree on banning smoking indoors, but out-doors give it up. I do agree when its a “kids” area(games, zoos, parks ect.) you should be considerate and take it somewhere else not all parents want that stuff around their kids. I know i dont. People shouldnt be so defencive, but those who choose to smoke (and everyone who smokes chooses to do so, habit or not) shouldnt get so mad about the taxes or banning of cigaretts. Us non-smokers are paying for those doc. bills of the smokers and alcoholics too. So either suck it up or quit.
I have an extreme sensitivity to anti smoking nazis. smoking is indeed nasty and should be banned from the planet so that all smokers are forced to quit. that opinion aside, whenever i hear someone ‘on the crusade’ taking the soapbox to tell us how evil we are as smokers, i tend to think that the person has serious misplaced anger in their lives. a comfortable place for these people to express their frustration: take it out on smokers. its ok, you can bash smokers, they are dirty and self destructive. plus you can feel better than someone. put yourself up on a pedestal of perfection and look down on the nasty smoker. it’s hip, trendy, and there is absolutely no arguement why you shouldn’t. So that’s how i cope. I feel much better knowing that if it weren’t for me and others like me, that a very large (ever increasing) groups of people with low self esteem would have no one on which to look down and take out their anxiety.
trying to enjoy a hike, the beach or the slopes with someone smoking nearby is obnoxious.. as a former smoker I would at least try to not infringe on non-smokers in these places, if only others would do the same..
here in Portland Oregon there is a ban on smoking indoors but now when you walk down a sidewalk, all the restaurants and bars are littered with smokers outside the door.. maybe if there were smoking-only bars and restaurants, maybe that would help curb this situation… there are no answers only complaining from all around..
How about my son’s soccer games?? We were at a game last week when all of a sudden the smell of smoke came pouring over a group of us. We all looked around and saw one of the parents…front and center….puffing away! What a horrible example to be to your child. Both of my children suffer from seasonal allergies which makes their outdoor breathing strained enough as it is!! I just wish smokers would consider the risk to their children. Cigarettes kill. My mother is 60 years old and suffers from COPD and Emphysema. She smoked for most of her life and now must be on oxygen for the remainder of it.
Cpt D. Thanks for your comment…and for fighting for our country. This blog is about the effects of second hand smoking. There is evidence that it is detrimental to our health, whether we like it or not. Secondly, this has nothing to do with political preference or party lines. I wouldn’t be so quick to assume what people’s party lines are based on their lack of interest in inhaling smoke that they would like to CHOOSE not to inhale.
I am an American soldier. A combat veteran. I do not smoke. I am sickened by the right-wing snot-nosed citizens who think they have the right to say what is right and wrong. We have a constitution. Many have bled for it. But, we have a “I can smell it so ban it?” What gives you the right to decide? How many people die? All of us. Do we ban old age? Ban cell phones? Radiation kills. Tax someone who drowns? Ban cars that use gas? Ban fast-food or tax fat people? How about the Pres. Is he “stupid” He smoked. By the way, you WILL die from something. Should we tax your family for it or maybe ban what caused it??? Bottom line. GET A LIFE. It is precious.
YO I HATE SMOKERS THAT COMPLAIN THT THEY HAV TO PAY TAXES OOR WHATEVER BECAUSE ITS THIER FAULT!
As a smoker of over 45 years and still in perfect health as attested to by my most recent physical, I am SOOOO damne tired of the whining and complaining by the self rightious Non-smokers. If you don’t like the smell of smoke, then move upwind. If you are overly sensitive to cigarette smoke, I’m sorry but too bad. Learn to live with it.And as far as the restaurantes and bars, I have quit going to them altogether as have all of my smoking friends due to the restrictions imposed. As a result, two of them have been forced to close. And these were restaurantes, not just bars. I guess there weren’t enough do-gooder non smokers to keep them open.
As far as smokers not being intelligent enough to quit, it has nothing to do with intelligence, but more with the realization that it’s a personal choice. If others don’t like it, too bad. Yes , someday I may succumb to lung cancer or emphysema, but everyone dies of something. and,at least I’ll be able to recoup what I have paid into the health care system over the years WITH interest.
meant: “taking a hit of the former”. (sigh)
can certainly empathize with those whom cite (further) infringing upon what is (still) counted among our ‘inalienable rights’. but!!! (no pun in tended) cigarette smoking is and always has been a public menace, from day-one. the only difference between a heroin addict and a nicotine addict is that taking a hit of the latter remains illegal in most countries around the world. the (sad, sad) reality is that both are deadly drug addictions. wise up ciggys, smoking destroys one’s body from the inside out_ literally. yeah, you have the right to kill yourself slowly primarily because you are addicted and secondarily yer not breakin any laws to do so. but!!! admit it. when cigs were first introduced the gov did not reveal the addiction-forming proposal it really represented. now the gov does. still you want to smoke, and want the ‘right’ to do so wherever you darn well please. don’t you see the insanity of it all? (sigh) still…if you want to continue to ruin your health at least have the humanity not to impact the health of others wo wish not to join in partaking. it really is that simple. the ‘right’ to do something does not and should not override the Common Good, for others and especially for ourselves and loved ones.
We sat in the back seat (unrestrained) of our parent’s cars on trips and at least one adult was smoking some of the time. Many of us have survived to reach middle age.
I would like to see a ban on body sprays…that’s all I can smell now when I walk into a bar. Some of them are truly terrible.
Here in Tucson, AZ people are not allowed to smoke within 20 feet of a public building. It helps, but if you are down wind going into that building, you can still smell it. What is worse is when those smokers come into the building..the reek of smoke. That is almost as bad!
I completely agree and would even go further…if you smoke in your car, roll up your windows! If you can’t stand to smell the toxic fumes inside your car, why would anyone else want to?
Smoking is a very sore subject with me. I had a very similar experience as “A”. My family and I had to deal with inconsiderate neighbors who would smoke all the time and the toxic smoke would come into our house (it was a townhouse). Smoking should be banned in ALL apartment buildings, condos, and townhouse complexes.
It is not simply an “irritation” to other people, it is endangering other people’s health. I’m pretty sure you can’t get cancer or emphysema from overpowering perfumes…but nice try.
I will be VERY happy to see the laws become even harsher for smokers.
Next time you’re stopped at a light, check out the curb for all of those piles of cigarette butts…you can thank a smoker for that.
all people who complain about smoking…are you still driving a fossil-fuel powered car? do you really think cigarette smoke produces more pollution than your car? and as for sensitivity to smoke, why don’t we outlaw anything that might cause an “irritation” to another? overpowering perfume would be my first choice, I am actually allergic to it, but yet I’ve managed to survive thus far without a LAW banning it! do we really want and need laws and regulations concerning every tiny action or choice a person might make?
Wow. First off I don’t smoke but aren’t we awful flippant with the banning of things you don’t like?
I have an idea — if you don’t like the smoke go somewhere else. The entire beach is covered with smoke? Is that the only bar in town? If it was that important wouldn’t there be non-smoking places? (bars, restaurants, etc).
Smoking is already stigmatized and a lot of places (including my state) smokers can’t smoke inside ANY business of 25′ of any entrance/window/etc. so they are forced to smoke outside.
Me, I would like to see internet comments banned.
Oh And I just have to add this. Why are cigaretts legal and not marijana? Just throwing it out there.
And for any one who complains about the taxes smokers pay and health care preminiums, what about the rest of us? Were paying for medacaid that people need after they nearly killed themselves smokeing 30 or 40 years. Or, the cancer they got from second hand smoke for 30 or 40 years.
I had a bad experiance haveing lived with smoker for about 6 years. Before I had allergies, nothing serious. But about 6 months after moveing in, I devoloped new allergies and breathing problems. I was misarbable. And to make it worse, parts of the house were no smokeing was allowed smelled of smoke. But the smokers couldn’t be convinced to keep there smoke away from me or to go outside and smoke. I have sinced moved out and can only hope to recover to better days.
And for those who wonder why I staed nearly 7 years, Its because the people I am speaking were my in laws and living with my husbend and I. They both had extream health problems for years and had become fully disabled. Not wanting to live on there own, my husbend convinced me all of us living together was a good idea. Not so much to say the least.