Why is everyone so offended by smoking?

Question

Like seriously? If I want to smoke a cigarette outside on my own whats the harm?

And if Im walking down a street with a cig in my mouth, why all the dirty looks lol?

Can anyone explain why people find this so offensive?

If passive smoke kills you faster than...er...active smoke, why not just start smokin haha

Answer 1

they should be grateful.
ciggerate smokers

reduce the population
pay huge amounts of tax
reduce the countires pension burden.
we should all get medals

Answer 2

I have often wondered this.

People say that the second-hand smoke is just as harmful, but I don't believe that. People who smoke all day every day still live for quite a long time, so I hardly think a little bit of smoke will do anything. in an enclosed space I can, to an extent, understand that people don't want the discomfort caused, but outside? Where it dissipates in the air anyway? And where smoke from factories and cars probably do a lot more damage than a bit of cigarette smoke? But anyway, that's why people now say they find it offensive.

The real reason, though, is that people have been told to find it offensive.

Answer 3

I'm an ex smoker
but I can understand why people are giving you the looks, fags stink really bad, the smoke is bad for passive smokers, also when you are outside trying to breethe through the car pollution the worst thing is to inhale someone's cigarette smoke and makes you choke and caugh...

believe me, I hate to walk behind someone smoking, or get on a lift with someone who's just had a cigarette, and their breath stinks of ashtray...

could I be more convincing?

Answer 4

Everyone else breathes in your smoke, even the people who choose not to smoke. Some people are asthmatic and get really affected by the smoking, it can bring on an attack. I've often walked along the street with my 2 year old, and SHE has to breathe in everyone's smoke that stand on street corners and outside coffee shops puffing away.
Personally I hate smoking (I'm an ex-smoker myself) but I wouldn't give you dirty looks if you smoked though...

I'm surprised that you can't see that this is offensive to people.

Answer 5

Well, cigarette smoke really irritates my lungs, so I dislike having to inhale toxic fumes that other people are emitting. You'd give me dirty looks if I broke wind right in front of you, and flatus isn't even dangerous. So maybe you should think about what other people feel like when subjected to fumes that smell, make your clothes smell for ages and are actually dangerous. I mean, if I went around spraying noxious chemicals on people, like pepper spray, I'd be arrested. What's the difference when it's tobacco smoke, which can kill someone?

Answer 6

I think you have the right to smoke, and I think that places should be set aside for smokers in many venues. I think business owners should be able to make a choice (for instance in bars)
That having been established, I don't want to smell your cigarettes indoors EVER where I am. I don't find cigarette smoke any more irritating outdoors than other forms of pollution, so clean up the buses and trucks and cars and ladies perfume,,,,,then I'll think that you need to be forbidden even outdoors to smoke around other people.
I have been a non-smoker for 19 years, and before smoked up to four packs a day, depending on the day. I think I have fair judgment and can see the problems from both sides.

Answer 7

If you smoke, on your own then fair enough... you have every right to enjoy that cigarette.

If you are smoking in public places then people are being exposed to the smoke and smell of what you are smoking.
If you are getting dirty looks then you are obviously not as alone in smoking as you think.

Answer 8

If you're outside and no one is breathing it directly I dont see a problem. But being an asthmatic I have a hatred for toxic cigarette smoke. Besides, I like my hair and clothes to stay smelling clean.

Answer 9

Well first of all when I see someone smoking I honestly see a skeleton and I see all the chemicals rotting your body when I see a smoker. I have witnessed my mothers death and my friend this last July from lung cancer. Its offensive, it stings and its killing you. Its not because they want to irratate you. We as humans do not like to see someone throw their life away by cutting your length short by a cigarette. You are making the executives lives easy they are relaxing on the beach with a health drink in their hand while you are rotting slowly. think about it.

Answer 10

The media goes above and beyond about the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke and people who have never smoked before (or have never been exposed to it much) listen intently because they don't know what it's like to have an addiction that's so difficult to break.

Answer 11

Firstly, that cigarette is killing your lungs, but you probably know that.
What you might not know is that the cigarette is harming the people around you too. Serious! It's been proved that passive smokers have higher chances of getting lung cancer than actual smokers do.
Also, health aside, some people (like me ) hate the smell of cigarette smoke and it can make them feel sick.