ok,

[GingerBiscuit]

I KNOW everyone has the right to put anything legal into their body, but I really hate serving smokers, just because of the smell. Most people don't find it bothers them as much as it does me, but I find that smell of tobacco on the clothes, skin and sweat makes me feel sick, and around very heavy smokers I have to hold my breath as I find it so overwhelming.

It's utterly unreasonable, but an automatic, instinctive biological reaction- I get it with my own father and grandmother. I react to it very similarly that a lot of people react to bad BO.

ANyone else?

[Gravekeeper]

Cigarette smoke induces an automatic DO NOT WANT reaction from my lungs too. Then the smoker looks at me like I'm being rude by coughing and hacking. Sorry, I'm coughing because you're killing me, thanks. ;p

Also, I predict this thread will go downhill fast. ^^

[crazylegs]

May I personally extend the warmest invitation to the UK to you both where smoking in enclosed spaces is illegal (this includes bus shelters, phone booths and anything where there are three sides and a roof).

[Sarah81]

I'm a smoker. I like to think that I'm a nice smoker because I try to stay downwind of other people. And down here in Texas, it's getting harder and harder to find a smoking section. That's fine by me. I don't go out to eat very often (unless it's take-out). And when I do go out, I can certainly live for 45 minutes to an hour without a cigarette.

I don't fault people for involuntary reactions. You can't help it, and if I'm around you, I'll do my very best to not interfere with your right to breathe and smell nice.

But I get pretty ticked off when people who have a choice (as in: outdoors) insist on hanging around me and doing the fake coughing, eye rolling, glaring in my general direction, with snotty comments thing. I'm trying to keep my pollution to myself. I'm not hanging around by the store entrance, or the newspaper machine, or whatever else. I'm out of the way. There's no logical reason to come my way and play this childish game.

[blas]

As said in my Health Survey post, I never wanted to start a debate smoking vs non smoking, fat vs skinny, etc etc. Everyone has their own hot opinions on the two hot topics. I want to keep it as civil as possible.

My point specifically is this: I just do not want to quit. I don't want people telling me what to do, especially when they can dangle the "we'll drop your insurance" ultimadum right in front of my face. I do not want to be told to quit smoking, be forced to take classes, and potentially be told to lose weight as well, and my coworkers as well. Some of us are happy the way we are.

I don't smoke around non-smoker friends or around children or elderly people *unless the elderly are smoking, too*

[GingerBiscuit]

May I personally extend the warmest invitation to the UK to you both where smoking in enclosed spaces is illegal (this includes bus shelters, phone booths and anything where there are three sides and a roof).

I'm i hte uk, and it's just... after smoking, especially a heavy smoker, will just smell bad.

[powerboy]

To me, if someone smokes, so what. I smoke a few times a year. When I smoke, I stay down wind of people unless they're smokers also.

[Gravekeeper]

I don't care if someone wants to smoke anymore then if someone wants to drink. That's your personal right. Just don't endanger anyone else with it. End of story. But therein lies the problem. Its extremely easy to endanger the health of others when you're smoking. Stupidly easy even. Not just from inhaling second hand smoke but from the fact the residue really does just stick to everything. Even if you smoke outside it still comes inside on your cloths and into your home. ><

The problem is there is no risk free level of exposure to second hand smoke and second hand smoke can be just as dangerous to the health of non smokers as first hand is to the smoker.

Thus why this has become such a shiatstorm in recent years. The more we learn about it the worst it gets and the more the smokers get shoved out into the cold. If any other product had even 1/10th the carcinogens in it, it'd be yanked off the shelf over night. But them big tobacco taxes are just too nice to pass up.

Could be worse though. You could live in China where the government actively promotes smoking as healthy. ;p

It does drive me up the wall whenever I see one of those "Smoker's Rights Advocates" though. Those people need to be smacked.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I know I've mentioned the gray dude that used to come into Kinkos. I call him that because he smoked so much his skin was gray, probably from lack of oxygen. He was as nice as he could be, and I tried very hard to be nice and not draw attention to the way he smelled, but the truth of it was, I literally just about gagged when I had to stand near him. Seriously, instant allergic mess in sinuses. You could TASTE the guy from 5 feet away. And he'd make your eyes water and your nose start running.

And that was when he WASN'T smoking. He'd linger in the self serve area for two hours after he left.

God is my witness, I'm not exaggerating.

[Foxglove8778]

I appreciate the effort when smokers try to keep from getting the smoke on me. It's just that I am so sensitive that it is in vain. Don't get me started on the elevators after a group comes inside from a smoke break.

[Misanthropical]

People are shocked when they find out I smoke. Apperently, they have never smelled the smoke on me.

I ask them about this, since all smokers are suppose to stink to high heaven and they have no answer, but to tell me they have never smelled it on me.

The problem I have is when someone is wearing way too much perfume or cologne, which does set off my allergies.

[myswtghst]

People are shocked when they find out I smoke. Apperently, they have never smelled the smoke on me.

I've had the same response. Granted, I'm a very light smoker (i.e. only a few a day, unless I'm drinking, very stressed, or out with other smokers in a smoke-friendly place), but still, I tend to only smoke outdoors, in my car with all the windows cracked at least an inch and sunroof vented, or in my apartment near an open door with the fan on to blow smoke outside.

This is because I don't like the smell of it on clothes and such. You'd think I'd be used to it, but I'm just as grossed out as the rest of you by the smell when it's heavy, especially when it's mixed with BO or sweat on someone. I have a friend, whom I love dearly, but have trouble being around at times, given how much he smokes, and how bad it makes him and his car smell, especially in the winter, when open windows aren't as common.

I'm actually rather grateful that most areas around here have banned indoor smoking, most of the bars and restaurants don't allow it. This is great for multiple reasons to me: I smoke less, since I have to go out in the cold to do it, AND my clothes don't smell awful at the end of the night, since I'm not constantly surrounded by the combined smoke of many. I also think it's much better, especially for other patrons AND staff, who don't choose to smoke but are being constantly exposed to second hand smoke.

As someone who has parents who are allergic and friends who don't like the smell, I've always been a considerate smoker, so I tend not to take offense at any posts on here, or comments in real life, about rude smokers, as I know I'm not one of them. I do my best not to smoke around people who don't like it, I never purposefully blow smoke at anyone, and I always go outside into "designated areas" to do my smoking.

[Finduilas]

I hate smoking and everything associated with it. I also hate all of the smokers on the campus of my college- for this reason:

There is a rule in place that no one can smoke within 25 feet of a building. This is fine with me, and I'm perfectly happy if people are smoking there. There are some people who smoke 25 feet from the building, and it dissipates in the wind, and I don't smell it. However, MOST PEOPLE DON'T! They'll camp out on the steps right outside the front door where everyone has to come in and out of the dorm... and directly under my window.
The dorm has no air conditioning and poor circulation. Thus, we keep the window open as much as possible. .....And the smoke drifts in. So we shut the window, and it quickly becomes stuffy and uncomfortable in our tiny room.

I finally blew up one night when I was returning from the library. A group of smokers were lounging on the steps right in front of the sign reminding smokers to stand 25 feet from the building.

I'm afraid to admit that I was shouting, because I've been dealing with this for months now.
Me: DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU'RE 25 FEET FROM THE BUILDING? YOU'RE ACTUALLY STANDING ON PART OF THE BUILDING AND YOU THINK YOU'RE 25 FEET FROM THE BUILDING!
Smokers: It's f---ing cold outside!
Me: YOU THINK IT'S ANY WARMER HERE THAN THERE?

It went on in some vein and I shouted at them about how I'm sick of smelling their smoke and what have you and stormed inside.
It didn't do anything, but considering that my RA heard most of it and also went outside to try to explain more nicely their transgression, I'm sitting here smelling cigarette smoke.


People that smoke, that show respect for other people, I don't mind. But it seems to me like the vast amounts of smokers want to get back at us non-smokers for pointing out that it's a health hazard to smoke and legislating accordingly.

[blas]

I'm starting to cut back because my lease states no smoking indoors. So I have to put on shoes and a coat to go outside and smoke. And if it's windy or snowing heavy...errr...scratch that.

I'm kind of like Mis. Most people can't smell it on me. I come equipped with gum and mints at work for after smoking. With all the talking required as a trainer, I'd hate to have bad breath while lecturing a trainee. I also have a light spray that I spritz on myself if I've been driving for a long time and chain smoking in the car.

The only time you can smell it on me is on those icky days where it's raining or really moist outside and all the smokers at work are in a close-knit group and it permeates from all of us.

[GingerBiscuit]

With us, people will finish their cigarette RIGHT OUTSIDE our shop, just outside the doorway, throw it on the floor and then often track the still stinking thing on their shoes, where it will fall off inside. And of course, having just finished it, the smell is quite strong and I think I must be abnormally sensitive to it- like my abnormal sensitivity to pefumes with artificial ingredients- they all make my chest tight and my stomach churn.

The thing that makes me laugh are the people who come in, STINKING of it, 60-a-day kind of stink, and ask for help for heart problems, problems with circulation, or erectile dysfunction- for those of you who don't know, smoking is a major contributor in all of those.

But, despite the indoors smoking ban, I still have problems with how most smokers smell. I don't like to hug my own father because he smokes, so anyone else I will just try and stand down-wind of. And hold my breath. Sorry.