Why we can drink but cannot smoke?

Question

People blowing smoke in front of others who don't smoke can be really rude. However, why it is considered so bad when the smoker avoids smoking near other persons? Tar is bad for your lungs, the same way alcohol is bad for your liver and fast food is bad for your heart and not that many complain about that. I don't suppourt smoking, although it is annoying how some people insult smokers and then get drunk in the middle of a party degrading themselves.

Answer 1

I agree with you, alcoholism is a HUGE problem. My bf works in the ER and most of the problems he sees are alcohol-related.

There is a stigma around smoking, definitely, because not only does it affect yourself, it affects other people in a negative way. However there should be a greater stigma around irresponsible behavior surrounding alcohol, such as family related problems and drunk driving. Alcoholism is major social problem. Cigarette smoking, more of an immedate health risk. I think alcoholism a deeper, not-as-easy-to-define problem and therefore, is not as stigmatized.

Answer 2

The dangers of drinking *to others* only occur in specific circumstances; drinking and driving, or when someone gets drunk and violent. Those things are already against the law just like smoking in public, are heavily fined and not socially acceptable. Perhaps in some places they are accepted, but generally they are not considered so, any more than smoking! Drinking a glass of good wine with dinner or a few beers spread over the evening when someone else is driving, doesn't cause any trouble for any bystanders. Also some studies show a single glass a day can even be healthy.

I fully agree that *excessive* drinking is just as bad or worse, but alcohol in moderation doesn't have to be.

Answer 3

Drunk driving and other dangerous drunken behavior aside, if you are sitting next to someone who is drinking alcohol, there is no way you can ingest their alcohol unless they jam their glass in your mouth which would be assault. It's not like every time they take a drink they are pouring some of their alcohol into your mouth.

I suppose it's considered bad to smoke even while trying to avoid others because it's a public area and someone who does not want to inhale the smoke would still have to avoid you at some point. There are still people that want to walk down the public sidewalk and they'd have to walk around you to avoid the smoke. In a crowded city, there is rarely a place that you can find easily where you can hid from EVERYONE to smoke your cigarette without the smoke blowing over to someone. It's not like people can choose to stop breathing.

Answer 4

This is an issue that REALLY annoys me... I am a smoker and I definitely avoid smoking around children and even adults who do not want to be around it. I have NO problem that they banned smoking in ALL of my states restaurants and even bars. I do however have a problem with all of the bitching about smoking. I had a child with a very rare disease. He required oxygen and a ventilator to breathe... I felt that it was MY responsibility to make sure that no one smoked around him. Ex: if we went to say a fair or the park and someone sat down next to us and were smoking (as stupid as you would have to be to sit down next to a child who was clearly on Oxygen and a vent, believe me it happened) I would get up and move because I did not want him around it. Just as I would have gotten up to move if someone stumbled over drunk and sat down!!! I know that there are smokers out there who are not polite, but bottom line is if someone doesn't like smoking, don't be around it... if someone didn't like drinking they wouldn't be around that, right?!!

Answer 5

let's see, what about the fumes people inhale from semi's, factories, garbage dump sites, chemical waste plants and the emissions of the space shuttles going up in space, come on! i agree totally, some people get an idea in there head, get a bunch of people to jump on the band wagon and certain people in society pay for it. it is not right! ooh ooh no i just read someones comment about second hand drinking, what about when they drink drive and kill some innocent family, that's your second hand drinking dear!ooh ooh one more thing if they don't like the smoke that they can see, then they should take there happy tushes outside and home and don't breathe as you go outside because you will inhale crap that you can't see, at least you can see the nicotine puff coming at you!

Answer 6

Well that would be because ...

Smoking can cause imparement which can result in car accidents leading to the death of the driver, passengers, or other unwitting victims. In fact, it is involved in more than 65% all fatel traffic accidents in the US!

When smoking is involved, violence is more common than when smoking is not involved. Bar fights break out far less when smoking is not involved.

Smokers may be impared and make poor and sudden decisions about sexual partners and the use of 'safe sex. This can result in unwanted pregnancies and STDs.

Smoking can land you in jail if you aren't careful.

Someone who has smoked to much is more likely to be grabby, pushy, or generally offensive to others.

Oh wait...that's drinking.

:)

Answer 7

you have a point but, smoke harms those around the smoker as well. even if they are considerate. fast food only hurts the eater and booze only hurts the drinker,provided he/she doesn't drive at the same time.i am a smoker by the way.

Answer 8

I think smoking saves lives. I know there have been times when, if I hadn't gone and smoked a cigarette, I would have killed someone instead.

Answer 9

its illegal to be drunk in public....public intoxication. U also cannot have an opened container unless it is covered by like a brown bag

Answer 10

moderate drinking of red wine is beneficial to your heart. can't say the samething with smoking.