Buy your own bloody smokes!

[tollbaby]

Okay, that was a tiny bit offensive, but I'll try to be as polite as possible while replying. Yes, I cough when around smokers. I try to be discreet about it. Why? I'm allergic to cigarette smoke. I'm also allergic to dust, exhaust and a multitude of other things. Besides, you may choose to do harm to yourself by smoking, but I don't have a choice when you light up near me, do I?

I'm not trying to say I'm better than smokers (especially since I'm an ex-smoker)... but it really bugs me when smokers get up in arms and snarky about non-smokers coughing or giving them dirty looks. What you are doing affects OUR health, not just yours. If I went around tossing asbestos at people on the sidewalk, I bet the smokers would bitch just as loudly as the non-smokers. Something to think about. (and yeah, I glare at the buses that belch out great black clouds of soot, too).

[draftermatt]

I don't somke, but I don't have a problem with people who do. I don't understand it. I was barraged with "don't smoke" specials and programs starting at the age of like 7, but I digress.

I only cough around a smoker if it's a real cough. Like if I inhale accidently. I think it's rude to be honest with you. To quote Bill Hicks "would you dance around a guy in a wheel chair?"

[RecoveringKinkoid]

If someone is coughing, why is it assumed to be fake?

I know there are idiots out there who don't have to sand to just say, "pardon me, but I'm allergic" or whatever. So they fake cough. And it's kind of dumb.

But really, how do you know when it's a fake cough and when you are genuinely bothering someone?

[Banrion]

The ones that irk me, are the people in my building who make a show everyday of walking through the only smoking area on the block. Who then cough and complain about it. Just to describe, my building takes up an entire city block. There are 4 entrances to the building. One on each side. The only place smoking is allowed is on the backside of the building that opens into an alley. The only way to get into said alley is by passing one of the other THREE doors to the building. Inevitably EVERYDAY at lunchtime, when there are 10-20 smokers in the alley, some prissy princess has to come traipsing up the alley then get to the cloud of smoke and start coughing and hacking and making rude comments to all the smokers who are following building policy.

I am a very polite smoker, I only smoke in designated areas and my own home and car. I keep a metal tin in my purse should I need somewhere to dispose of a butt. I just don't understand why non-smokers will go hang out in a designated smoking area, then complain that people are smoking. Courtesy works both ways.

[Lace Neil Singer]

If someone is coughing, why is it assumed to be fake?

I know there are idiots out there who don't have to sand to just say, "pardon me, but I'm allergic" or whatever. So they fake cough. And it's kind of dumb.

But really, how do you know when it's a fake cough and when you are genuinely bothering someone?

Well, a real cough tends to make a person's eyes bulg, their face changes expression, their eyes water? Plus, allergies tend to make people react in other ways other than coughing; like the aforementioned eye watering. Whereas a fake cough is just a litle "Ahem" which is confoundly annoying. If someone is genuinely allergic, all they have to do is say so, or walk away.

And like I mentioned in another thread, I'm considerate, but if someone plonks themselves down next to me and starts whining, they can go take a running jump. Sit next to me on a bench in a public park, when there is loads of free benches, and take the consequences. Those are the people I am refering to; and I would guess other smokers are too.

[ArenaBoy]

I have friends who smoke, do I complain when people smoke around me outside? No. I did at one point drive a friend to the gas station for smokes but I put an end to it when it started to become expected of me. I've never been asked for cigs but lighters I've been asked for a multitude of times.

[Broomjockey]

Okay, I would like to give my example of the rudest smoker I've come across. This is the gold standard I hold all other smokers to

It was winter, and fairly cold. I'm waiting for the bus, and kip into the enterance way of a building right by the bus stop. Fairly common tactic at this stop. Another guy comes in, digs around in his jacket, takes out a lighter and a cig. I tell him, "Hey, please don't light up in here, I'm allergic."
"Yeah, sure thing." Then takes a cig out of the pack, and sticks it in his mouth.
I take the opportunity to point out the no smoking placard on the door, and say again more forcefully "I'm allergic, don't light up in here."
"Yeah." As he brings the lighter up to his face.
"No, seriously, don't light up in here."
"Whatever." He lights it, takes a drag, and releases it on his way out the door.

So, you can see why I'm leery of random smokers. I don't care if you do it, I'll stay out of your way if I see it, but I expect the same in return.

And I've never smoked, so please people, stop asking me for a light! (Had the same girls as me for "fire" three nights in a row, as English wasn't their first language. Apparently they don't understand the word "don't" either. Grumble)

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Broomjockey, take comfort in the fact that eventually, someone's going to put that guy's cig out in his freaking eye.

[Lace Neil Singer]

You should pretend you don't understand English either and squirt them with a water pistol. "Oh I'm sorry, I thought you said you were on fire!"

[Andara Bledin]

I hate rude non-smokers almost as much as I hate rude smokers, and I've run into far more of the former.

I don't get smoking. My mother and aunt smoke pretty heavily and have since they were in high school. I tried taking a pull from a cigarette once when I was like 11, thought it was the most vile thing I'd ever tried and have never bothered to try again.

I tried smoking a joint, once, too. It wasn't that bad, but there was zero effect, so there was no point in having another go. And cigars are just vile; end of discussion.

I've been asked for cigarettes, and I've been asked if I had a light by people who know me and know I don't smoke. But they've usually been smoking pot and will laugh at themselves when I ask them who they're trying to ask for a light. They do the same thing when they try to share their pot with me, too.

Oh, and the exhaust you breathe while walking down a moderately busy street is about as bad as being locked in a small room with someone who then smokes several cigarettes. Kids who grow up in the LA basin have, on average, only 2/3 the lung capacity of kids who don't live in smog central.

^-.-^

[Mark Healey]

I try not to smoke near non-smokers, but if someone fake coughs while I'm smoking--hey, you just asked for me to have ANOTHER one. Yaaaaaaaaay.

And here ends my mini-rant.

And I'm going to add to it. Anyone who claims that they are allergic to smoke is going to be quickly ignored. They are passive-agressive liars who would come up with a bullshit medical excuse. They are not having an immune response.

If it bothers you, be a grown-up and say so. If you're polite I'll make reasonable accomodations. If you come into one of the few places people are allowed to smoke in a large area, tough. If you're wearing patchouli, you don't get to complain about any unpleasant acts from others.

[Mark Healey]

See, I don't understand this mentality. I'm not trying to judge ya'all, I'm just trying to understand, so don't get mad at me for asking. But why would you start a habit that makes you jones so bad you'd root through trash and beg from strangers off the street?

Because nicotine is a wonder drug. If you're stressed it calms you. If you are lethargic, it picks you up. It helps you concentrate.

If it wasn't so strongly associated with tobacco it would get alot more research attention.

It's really too bad it has been so demonized. No one is going to make a way to cheaply deliver it to the lungs (there are receptors for it in the broncule passages) in doses comprable to smoking. It would never be allowed. If it was available I'd switch in a second.

[Broomjockey]

And I'm going to add to it. Anyone who claims that they are allergic to smoke is going to be quickly ignored. They are passive-agressive liars who would come up with a bullshit medical excuse. They are not having an immune response.

Lesse, instant headache, throat sore, coughing, mucus production, umm... Seems an allergic response to me. Don't make a blanket statement like that. You can find people allergic to almost anything. With all the chemicals in ciggarettes, you're just upping the possibilities.

Because nicotine is a wonder drug. If you're stressed it calms you. If you are lethargic, it picks you up. It helps you concentrate.

Nicotine is a poison. A concentrated dose to the lungs would *kill* you. In incredibly small doses like in cigs there might be a benefit, same way for cyanide or nitroglycerin, but any kind of nicotine seperated holds a really great chance of killing people who abuse it even a little because 40–60 mg can be a lethal dosage for adults. The reason smoking calms you is because you're either quelling withdrawl symptoms, or acts on certain neural receptors, like a narcotic. There are stimulants in ciggarettes which is why it picks you up, and helps you concentrate.

[Lace Neil Singer]

As I pointed out before, not everyone who smokes is addicted, just as not everyone who drinks alcohol is an alcoholic. You're also making blanket statements.

[Lord Ludicrous]

At work we bum cigarettes off eachother all the time. It all balances out in the end funnily enough, so no one really ends up giving out more than they get. That said, my mates at work including me all smoke roll ups, which for some reason people are less tempted to try and scrounge one off you.
As for why I started, stress and depression mostly. Nicotine gives a headrush and mild euphoric effect for about 5-10 minutes (at least with me), so naturally it was tempting. That said Im not really a heavy smoker. The most Ive ever had in one day was 7, and that was a pub day. Normally its 1 or 2, or 3 on a work day.