How come smokers can be discriminated against, but not others?

Question

You can tell a smoker who chose to smoke that he/she is dirty, disgusting and has to leave, but we can't tell someone who also chooses to do something just as 'disgusting' the same thing without getting sued. What is the deal with that?

Believe it or not, people still have a choice about decisions that affect their health. For example: obese people, in general, have or have had a choice to stay healthy, most had the choice to not have sex and get an STD, just as most have the choice to act in 'different' ways that could be hazardous to ones health. Why are these people embraced in society and treated with special rights when smokers are outcasts, treated like garbage?

Maybe they should start suing people?

Answer 1

Smoking does carry a lot of risks but so does eating (fast food or healthy all contain some kind of risk), breathing the air, drinking the water, alcohol, prescription drugs, over the counter drugs and so on. All these carry risks, it's how you chose to live and how happy you are with your life. Depression and stress causes just as much or even more health factors than smoking.
For all you non smokers, don't ever think that you are better than those who smoke. You have no idea how easy it was to start but how difficult it is to quit. Most of us (smokers) do not want to continue smoking but the addiction is sometimes stronger that the willpower, and the addiction will always be there no matter how many years go by not smoking.
People who target smokers are just ignorant, have no understanding of the addiction and feel they are better than them. The banning of smoking in cities was done with no compromise and no consideration for those that smoke. Options were not made and to consider a smoking only facility was not considered or offered.
Freedom of choice is out the window, non smokers feel they've won but at what price and what is next or who is the next target

Answer 2

To answer your question, I dont think its so much as they think they are going to develop cancer as it is non smokers hate the act, smell, and any believed health risk associated by it thus they look down upon any smoker. They consider them in the same class they consider people that are not clean, low income, low class, etc. Yes, it is discrimination but it is not unlawful discrimination. To be protected by law for discrimination you must first fall under a federal protected class. These consist of Gender, Race, National Origin, Color, Familia Status, Disability, and Creed. Some states even add age to their list of their own state's constitution. Smoking doesnt fall in any of these categories. I feel that the government is caught in the crossfire of non smokers and smokers and was made to act on it. Obviously non smokers and health advitist have alot louder mouths than smokers and they got their point across. Alot of things are unhealthy and every person does something each day that is risking whether it be sudden or long term health risk so Im gonna throw that idea of 2nd hand smoke out the window. It has no presedence. A health risk over all is questionable too with people never being around smoke and developing lung cancer and emphazima to that of George Burns living until age 99 with a cigar in his mouth. I am a smoker who respects others who do not smoke but I do feel that I do not get that in return. I dont understand just 50 yrs ago smoking was allowed everywhere with no bitching and moaning. Even in hospitals, but now that the medical field has pinned cancer to cigarettes and people all of a sudden are gagging in the site of smoke??? C'mon, its a show and a ***** to ***** the way I see it. I'll step out side bc you dont want the smoke stained walls or the smell in the air, no problem, not bc of the "cancer risk". I wont smoke in restuarants bc you are eating thats okay too. But lay off, outside is open and free to all that live on this earth. Im hurting only myself and I have that right. Dont tell me I cannot smoke in or on things I own such as my home ( I dont anyway bc of the smell and stained walls), car, or property that is my right.

Answer 3

For some reason people who smoke keep trying to justify the hazards of cigarette smoking with other illnesses or health issues. Sitting next to someone who is fat or someone who has an STD won't make you sick. Being forced to breathe in poisonous cigarette smoke by an inconsiderate, selfish smoker is a different story. You cannot control cigarette smoke! It goes where ever the wind blows it. I have had smokers plop their behinds down right next to me and start puffing away like I am not there and that I am not smoking! They don't care about their health so they don't care about anyone elses not even their own children! I ALWAYS end up having to get up and sometimes there's just no where to go to get away from it. I wish smoking would be allowed only in peoples homes and then not around children. They come around stinking, reeking of noxious fumes clogging up peoples lungs. They should be treated differently because they treat non-smokers as bad as they treat themselves!!!

Answer 4

The company I work for has quit hiring people who smoke. They say it's for insurance reasons. But what's next. Will the insurance people tell us we can't hire fat people? In Kalamazoo MI a company fired all of its smokers, even tho they quit smoking at work. They were subjected to drug tests for nicotine. The smokers sued for their jobs, and lost.
As for the argument that smoing pollutes the air around you, well let's ban SUV's, and cars that get less than 50mpg. Wake up people. Your personal freedoms are being eroded. Where will it all end? When you can't do anything that somebody might dislike?

Answer 5

Because you do not enforce your rights. Walk out of the restaurant that doesn't allow smoking. I've specifically requested a smoking table, been seated, ordered & then told no smoking....Told 'em to "kiss my grits" & walked! Vote against the next tax for the outdoor stadium substidy that doesn't allow smoking. Tell the rude person to %$#@! Protest "sin" taxes. The masses are not dumb. Just last month a 400% tax increase on tobacco in Missouri went down to defeat.

Answer 6

I think because smokers choose not to hide their habits people are comfortable in confronting them, whereas other types of habits people tend to creep and you can never prove anything unless you were there. Some smokers do sue when they lose their jobs, and or they get really sick and know that it was smoking that caused it.

Answer 7

Because being obese harms only yourself. Smoking harms you and everyone around you, fouls the air, reduces quality of life, and just generally screws things up for the rest of us.

You can do whatever you want to with your own body, but you smoking near me takes away my right to control what happens to mine. That's why.

Answer 8

Because they chose to smoke, and they are not a recognized class of people that needs protection.
B