In the distant past, I used to be able to sit down at a bar where people would smoke, and not mind at all. Then came the smoking ban, which made me find it unpleasant, but not a big deal. Then came the lockdowns, and I got used to breathing super fresh air all the time. Now I start coughing if someone outdoors smokes 5m away from me and the wind blows it in my direction. Does this happen to anyone else or is it just me?
No, I’ve pretty much found it repulsive my entire life.
Fair enough. I guess it was so common when I was growing up that I never realised it.
I don’t know how old you are, but I grew up before the smoking ban. It was pretty common, and I had several relatives who smoked, but neither of my parents did. Smells bad and makes it hard to breathe, so I’ve always hated it.
Banning smoking in restaurant is one of the best change o have witnessed while growing up. Truly marvelous.
For real, it made me incredibly happy.
smoking was banned inside businesses in my area close to 20 years ago. just about everyone I know who used to smoke has quit or switched to vaping
I’ve seen some homeless folks smoke recently but that’s about it
I turn off outside air when im driving behind someone who is smoking. Cant stand it and Vape is only slightly less bad.
not really right after lockdowns. i started becoming sensitive to smokes a bit before that happened. there is a reason i don’t go outside during breaks at my university. place is lousy with smokes.
The thing that always shocks me, is how fucking vile cigarette smoke smells. It’s almost like they intentionally engineered it to smell like death.
I think cigar smoke and pipe smoke actually smells sort of pleasant. Why do cigarettes smell so bad? Is it just all the preservatives and other nonsense they put in them? I went to France a few years ago and thought the cigarettes smelled significantly less horrible than they do in the US. Maybe they smoke more natural cigarettes?
Nope, always hated it. Being in Europe just makes it worse since everybody smokes here.
Not more then usually. However, since lockdowns, the stench on the street from the traffic, mopeds,… is terrible, as is the noise.
I’m even less inclined to be around people since then. After those 2 wonderfully quiet years I just prefer the room around me.
Yes same here. Somehow smokers have a habit of standing at the entrance of buildings…
I think it’s because they’re not allowed inside the buildings, so they just pop out to the bare minimum distance to smoke. In their defense, probably hard to get very far with all that tar in your lungs.
I smoked for a while. It’s not the distance, it’s the wind. Most entryways have wind blocks that make it more comfortable to stand there and also make it easier to light a cigarette.
While I completely understand that smoking is not a habit that passersby want to subject themselves to all the time, I do think some people are a little oversensitive about the sight of a smoker in a public outdoor place. The stuff that comes out of cars is equally if not more dangerous than second hand cigarette smoke in an outdoor area, but people tolerate it without complaint because they can acknowledge the universal utility of a car. Regardless of that utility though, it is still poisoning the earth and its inhabitants with every mile driven, and a cigarette is mostly only poisoning the smoker when used outdoors with reasonable distance from others.
If we decided 6 feet is good enough for COVID, then it seems like 10 is more than enough for a cigatette.
I know many will disagree with this—please be gentle.
Ah, the wind isn’t something I thought of. I grew up around 2 smokers (who still smoke decades later), and have always hated the smell, though I do appreciate when people tuck their cigs away when I walk by with my toddler. You bring up good points about the environment as well; I think it’s more of a personal annoyance being burdened with the smell. Similar to people who douse themselves in cologne XD
I’ve seen conferences outright ban the use of scents because of people who get irritated by them. Fair enough, if you ask me.
In my case at least, it’s not a matter of seeing a smoker in a public place, the smell starts irritating my nose and throat and then I have to play a game of “find the smoker”. I agree that car exhausts are also harmful, I agree that we should also reduce driving as much as possible, but at least I can tolerate the smell of car exhaust much more easily if I have to be next to it. Everyone else seems to be able to enjoy their (outdoor) meal or concert, and I’d love to be able to get back to the point where I can think “yeah this is harmful, I should probably not subject myself to it” instead of “I can’t breathe”.
