Wow, now I understand why you feel the way you do. You have been horribly abused by quite a number of inconsiderate smokers. And honestly, I don't blame you a bit for feeling outraged about the whole thing. I try very hard not to subject others to my second-hand smoke. I wouldn't ever smoke at the front door of a business establishment. Not only is it a health hazard to others, it's just plain tacky. The management needs to create any area away from the front door.

At my house, my husband and I only smoke at the back door with the door open, rain, shine, snow, sleet, you name it. At least it doesn't permeate every corner of the house or I hope it doesn't anyway.

At any rate, I hope you can work something out with your parents about their smoking. It's a shame you can't visit them for any length of time because of their smoking. I wonder if they even realize how irritating it is to others. I don't know your parents so I can't really say, but perhaps they could try the smoking at the back door or at an open window.

I do respect your right to breathe fresh air and apologize for all the rude and obnoxious smokers. Their actions just aren't acceptable. Not only should we all be more tolerant, smokers and non-smokers, but more considerate as well.

Thank you for understanding my point!

and that's what my mother does. my stepdad doesn't smoke. when my mother took on a babysitting job for my aunt she had to quit smoking. and she did for a while. then when she would go out with her friends she would have a couple, then she ended up starting back up again. but she kept the smoking to the back room in her house. it's basically just a storage room with doors to the back yard. and when she smokes she also keeps the door open. and i've never had a problem with that. i can even go back there when she's there and talk to her and i'm not overwhelmed with a fog of smoke.

as far as my dad goes. they know it bothers us. i just don't think they understand quite yet how bad it is. i mean when we do visit, we always leave sooner than everyone expects, and our excuse is the same. luke's allergies are bothering him again because of the smoke. my stepmother kinda gets it. she actively tries not to smoke at all while luke and i are there, and if she has to she'll try to go out to the deck outside. but my dad just lights up and doesn't even know it, which is why he'll light up so many in a short period of time, just doesn't realize he put one out about 5 minutes earlier. so we ARE still working at him. but it's hard. I can spend all the time we want with them NOT at their house, it's not so bad even when he's smoking like that when we're away from all the stale smoke just sitting in the house.

one day, not too long ago it almost made me cry. my stepmother was getting at my dad about his smoking habits again. and she goes "you do want to be able to walk your daughter down the aisle, don't you?" suggesting if he keeps this up lung cancer is going to kill him before our wedding. as far as we know there's no cancer. but you never know what can happen in a year, which is when our wedding is.

i think designated smoking areas outside would be great around town. that way non smokers don't have to get stuck breathing it in simply by going about their own business. i don't agree with smoking or any tobacco use. but as long as it's here, people are gonna do it. so giving them a place to do it would be nice. but you know that will never work. my university decided to go smoke free last school year. it used to be no smoking in any building, except for one particular dorm building (out of 6). all other buildings had ash trays outside. but you had to be 15 feet away from the doors, tho people never cared and sat right outside the doors. then they tore now the smoking dorm. and never designated another one. so it was simply smoking 15 feet away from buildings. then last year they decided to make the whole campus smoke free. nowhere on campus grounds were you allowed to smoke. not even if your car! the gesture was nice b/c people would just blow smoke right in your face as you passed by on the sidewalk. it DID cut down on that, cuz a lot of people were afraid of getting caught. you would get a fine, not sure how much it was, but with my school it was probably a ridiculous price. parking tickets were $15 if you parked in a parking lot w/o a parking pass or parked in the wrong lot and didn't have the correct sticker/temp pass. and it went up to $20 if you didn't pay it after so long. so i'm sure the smoking fine was ridiculous too. supposedly they had students working for the campus police who were giving out fines for smokers too. but it didn't last long. idk how many people i saw walking around campus, not even sneaking around, with lit cigarettes in hand. perhaps it would have worked better if there were designated areas on campus where you could smoke. there is plenty of land all around campus that no one uses. they could build a pavilion in those areas for smokers. but who knows, that still may not have worked. and if you can't get a small campus to obey smoking laws, you certainly won't get a whole town to obey either.

so the question is, how do you get the idiot smokers who just don't care about anyone else or just don't think about it to respect other's right to breathe? lol

Ouch! I knew I should not have read these posts; the subject always causes negativity and folks becoming defensive, and intolerant...

However, I must lean toward what Fionnualla posted. Unfortunately, I too am a smoker, and NOT because I enjoy wasting my money/health/or disrespecting non-smokers ~ But, hey, it's a legal drug and the most difficult thing I've ever had to think about fighting... Trust me...I wish I could quit! I cannot imagine anything being more addictive; most illegal drugs aren't as addictive.

As for non-smokers dying of 2nd hand smoke...may I suggest further education and research. My son wrote a Thesis on it (a LONG one), there was so much research, governmental lying, etc. Without going into detail, please be open to the fact our government has lied alot...Need I say more?

Anyway, I have thoroughly enjoyed this site tonight and sure hate to leave on misunderstandings and/or bad feelings because I unfortunately smoke. I do respect non-smokers, I do not smoke in their cars, homes, etc. ~ However, my rights have sure been taken away; it's like I have to HIDE like some criminal...

Smoking is just the beginning of taking our rights away, next they will be going after overweight folks because that costs lots of money (health risks), etc., then what about your cold drinks, fast foods, on and on and on...Just wait and see.

Do you realize how much taxes we now pay for cigarettes? Last year I paid $24 a carton for my cigarettes; now that carton costs $48...Why make just smokers pay for health costs? What about folks who are just not healthy, they are not being penalized...I'm very healthy, but I have to pay for mine and everyone elses...go figure?

Okay, I'm off my soap box! Just another 'angle' to think about...Never judge someone until you actually walk in their shoes...

first of i would like to say that it is a good thing you are respectful around others who don't smoke. that being said and out of the way, no one can tell me that others smoking around me is not harmful to MY health, when i can clearly feel a difference in the way I am breathing. makes me feel sick. i am a healthy person, and if that is doing that to me, think of how others feel who aren't healthy. i don't much like choking up on someone else's smoke when i have no choice in the matter. and before anyone tries to argue that, i do NOT have a choice when i am walking to classes on campus and the only route to get the my class is thru a cloud of smoke. i know i am not the only non smoker to feels this way.

as for having to hide. my feelings on that are simple. you (you as in anyone who smokes) chose to smoke. that was your choice. but just because it's "legal" doesn't mean it should be allowed everywhere. what about the rights of those of us who choose to remain smoke free? we can't because other's are smoking everywhere. yes, there are those of you who ARE respectful to those of us who don't smoke. and on behalf of us who are non smokers, i thank you. but there are many many many smokers who just don't care. they are the one's we have a problem with.

as for taxes, honestly that makes sense to me. you pay for it because you are putting yourself at more risk by smoking than those who are just unhealthy. smoking may eventually put you in the hospital, if not by itself, it would certainly assist some other medical condition and make it worse. why else would they tell people going in for surgery to stop any tobacco use for a while before and after the surgery. if it can bring down your immune system to where you wouldn't heal as quickly after a surgery, then it's certainly doing that for you all the time. sure, your body isn't always trying to heal like it is when you have surgery. but you are certainly bringing it down, letting other things into your body.

i dont like smoking or even to see other people smoking. i try to avoid smoke area as much as possible

Not in the company or environment of non-smokers. if one is outside, like at a race or sports attraction, I find it less offensive. Sure beats having a drinking problem and not that many drivers get killed by someone smoking than ones too drunk to drive. Anyway there choice after 18 or 21, depending on the state.

(09-08-2009 12:28 AM)weevamp13 Wrote:  first of i would like to say that it is a good thing you are respectful around others who don't smoke. that being said and out of the way, no one can tell me that others smoking around me is not harmful to MY health, when i can clearly feel a difference in the way I am breathing. makes me feel sick. i am a healthy person, and if that is doing that to me, think of how others feel who aren't healthy. i don't much like choking up on someone else's smoke when i have no choice in the matter. and before anyone tries to argue that, i do NOT have a choice when i am walking to classes on campus and the only route to get the my class is thru a cloud of smoke. i know i am not the only non smoker to feels this way.

as for having to hide. my feelings on that are simple. you (you as in anyone who smokes) chose to smoke. that was your choice. but just because it's "legal" doesn't mean it should be allowed everywhere. what about the rights of those of us who choose to remain smoke free? we can't because other's are smoking everywhere. yes, there are those of you who ARE respectful to those of us who don't smoke. and on behalf of us who are non smokers, i thank you. but there are many many many smokers who just don't care. they are the one's we have a problem with.

as for taxes, honestly that makes sense to me. you pay for it because you are putting yourself at more risk by smoking than those who are just unhealthy. smoking may eventually put you in the hospital, if not by itself, it would certainly assist some other medical condition and make it worse. why else would they tell people going in for surgery to stop any tobacco use for a while before and after the surgery. if it can bring down your immune system to where you wouldn't heal as quickly after a surgery, then it's certainly doing that for you all the time. sure, your body isn't always trying to heal like it is when you have surgery. but you are certainly bringing it down, letting other things into your body.

i completely agree with everything you've said here and couldn't have said it better myself.

(06-11-2009 11:21 PM)Anti Wrote:  soo what What do you think of smoking? do you smoke? would you ever smoke in a no smoking zone if no one was around?

Well, I am not against anybody wrecking their lungs smoking; but I sure reserve my right not to become a passive smoker. This means that smoking is not allowed in my presence.

Addendum: Besides from leading to all kinds of fatal diseases, wasting your money, not making you look "cool", it is just plain "STUPID". I can't put it much clearer than that.

(06-11-2009 11:21 PM)Anti Wrote:  soo what What do you think of smoking? do you smoke? would you ever smoke in a no smoking zone if no one was around?

dont like it, it is waste of money and health