Why do non-smokers often display hostility towards smokers?

[Bratticus]

It never ceases to amaze me. Mention tobacco and all the anti-tobacco gurus line up to crucify you. Just ask about the history of tobacco, and boom, here come the preachers. The interesting thing is that actual smokers appear to be far less hostile. Never saw any smokers go off an a tirade if someone asked about quitting. It makes me wonder why pople get so hostile about decisions of people they do not even know. Don't you all think there are better ways and better causes to unleash all that energy?

 

[lisab]

It *stinks*.

 

[Equate]

It never ceases to amaze me. Mention tobacco and all the anti-tobacco gurus line up to crucify you. Just ask about the history of tobacco, and boom, here come the preachers. The interesting thing is that actual smokers appear to be far less hostile. Never saw any smokers go off an a tirade if someone asked about quitting. It makes me wonder why pople get so hostile about decisions of people they do not even know. Don't you all think there are better ways and better causes to unleash all that energy?

You live in California, right?

 

[Chi Meson]

It never ceases to amaze me. Mention tobacco and all the anti-tobacco gurus line up to crucify you. Just ask about the history of tobacco, and boom, here come the preachers. The interesting thing is that actual smokers appear to be far less hostile. Never saw any smokers go off an a tirade if someone asked about quitting. It makes me wonder why pople get so hostile about decisions of people they do not even know. Don't you all think there are better ways and better causes to unleash all that energy?

I found an example of a hostile attitude toward non-smokers. See above.

 

[Bratticus]

lisab: a lot of things "stink". Do you have a drivers license? How sweet does exhaust gas smell?

Equate: I do not live in California

Chi Mason: No hostility intended... I personally do not care what people do in the privacy of their homes or cars if they do not break any laws or infringe on the rights of others.

 

[negitron]

I found an example of a hostile attitude toward non-smokers. See above.

You have an extremely bizarre personal definition of hostile.

 

[Pengwuino]

Never saw any smokers go off an a tirade if someone asked about quitting.

Of course. They just excuse themselves to have a smoke .

 

[rootX]

1.

Mention tobacco and all the anti-tobacco gurus line up to crucify you. Just ask about the history of tobacco, and boom, here come the preachers.

2.

The interesting thing is that actual smokers appear to be far less hostile.

Nonsense.

 

[Bratticus]

I do not live in California

 

[Chi Meson]

You have an extremely bizarre personal definition of hostile.

Yes. I am unhinged.

 

[Bratticus]

so sorry, currently short on monetary gifts

 

[lisab]

Bratticus, if this is the hottest conflict in your life...you have a really, really easy life.

 

[turbo]

Bratticus, if this is the hottest conflict in your life...you have a really, really easy life.

Really! This ranks right up there with whether the end of the toilet paper should hang over the roll, or behind it, nearer the wall.

Our ferrets resolved that about 25 years ago. If the end was against the wall, they would reach up and treat the paper like a "treadmill" and strip it off the roll in no time, making a nice soft pile of paper that they could play in. They always looked guilty when caught in the act, but that wouldn't stop them from doing it again when you weren't watching.

 

[Bratticus]

It is not a conflict, it is an observation. If you see a conflict in this, perhaps you need to redefine conflict.

 

[turbo]

It is not a conflict, it is an observation. If you see a conflict in this, perhaps you need to redefine conflict.

You posed the situation as a conflict in which all non-smokers are meddling jerks who want to give you a hard time.

This non-smoker spent many years playing blues in smoky bars, and at least I was well-paid for putting up with the smoke. It may come back to bite me eventually, but I never gave any smoker any crap for his or her habit.

 

[Equate]

Equate: I do not live in California

I truly hope you don't live in El Paso, TX, because it really sucks down here...

Anyway, I agree with your opinion in the OP.

 

[Bratticus]

No I do not live in Texas either Equate.

 

[rootX]

You must be from the blue planet... right?

 

[Bratticus]

rootX, 3rd dirtball from the sun

 

[leroyjenkens]

Second-hand smoke.

 

[Pythagorean]

I like to give cartons of cigarettes to the children of non-smokers as christmas gifts. HO HO HO!

 

[Dadface]

I am a smoker who regularly tries to give it up and I don't like to be around other people when they smoke.I find that smoke from other cigarettes does stink.When I spark up I make sure I am outside and away from other people.

 

[Mk]

lisab: a lot of things "stink". Do you have a drivers license? How sweet does exhaust gas smell?

Yeah, and so do my farts. Luckily, people haven't told me to stop doing that too.

I agree with and have made the same observations as Bratticus. I think what creates the most young anti-smoking "hostiles" though is the anti-smoking propaganda on our television networks. "HEY! Don't cha' know that's bad for you?"

 

[Bratticus]

Lets see, smoking is prohibited in public buildings, at the workplace, stores, restaurants and bars. So basically, smokers are limited to their own residence, their car, and the great outdoors. Considering the amount of industrial polution in the air one breathes, why has no one raised a ruckus about that? If people are afraid of second hand smoke, simple solution... don't go to a smokers house, and don't ride in his/her car. That should elimit your exposure to second hand smoke.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Imo, the notion of using social pressure to help reduce smoking was adulterated to mean that it is acceptable to be rude and insulting. The internet probably helped to make things worse by making rudeness the new norm generally.

I think a lot of the problem was that smokers were previously entitled to vicitimize everyone around them who didn't smoke, so when attitudes began to change, you suddenly found a lot of non-smokers who were downright hostile. It is also true that many former smokers become the biggest anti-smoking whiners because of the attitude change that they needed to quit. For example, many cessation programs that I've heard about essentially teach a person to be intolerant of anything tobacco. My sister was like this. She was a smoker for years and then quit. Suddenly she couldn't tolerate the smell of smoke.

There is also a bit of a yuppy element to this as well. Some non-smokers clearly see themselves as being superior to smokers. This notion is reinforced with the mapping between smoking and poverty.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Some non-smokers clearly see themselves as being superior to smokers.

One only has to skim the threads here regarding smoking to see smokers being described as idiots and jerks who go around all day blowing smoke right into people's faces.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

There is some commercial running right now that made me laugh. Some guy from Alabama who quit smoking says that his parents smoked; "all of them"!

Just how many parents did he have?

For those non-US, there are demographic overtones in that statement.

 

[Bratticus]

Perhaps people need to differentiate between smoking and rudeness. Granted, when smoking was permitted anywhere and everywhere, smokers were seen as rude by non-smokers. However, now that smoking is prohibited in all public establishments, is that supposed to excuse rudeness and hostility. Two wrongs do not add up to right. Personally, I think that government officials have bigger issues to worry about than smoking. I do not like having my taxes spent on silly commercials no one really pays attention to. Should it not be up to parents to advise their children of the health risks associated with smoking. Never mind the minor detail that being a non-smoker does not automatically obligate a person to change other peoples habits. The last time government and one social group ganged up on the general population was called prohibition. And just what did they accomplish? Bootlegging, tax evasion on a grand scale, oh yes, and a nice boost to organized crime.

 

[Evo]

Lets see, smoking is prohibited in public buildings, at the workplace, stores, restaurants and bars. So basically, smokers are limited to their own residence, their car, and the great outdoors. Considering the amount of industrial polution in the air one breathes, why has no one raised a ruckus about that? If people are afraid of second hand smoke, simple solution... don't go to a smokers house, and don't ride in his/her car. That should elimit your exposure to second hand smoke.

Smokers cost the American public an estimated $96 billion dollars a year in health care and an additional $97 billion dollars a year in lost productivity.

The cost per smoker

24-year-old smokers in the United States there is an additional $204 billion of lifetime costs.

http://www.jci.org/articles/view/26421

Smokers are a financial blight on society.

So it doesn't matter if you only smoke in your own home and nowhere else. If you smoke anywhere near another person, SHAME ON YOU! You're disgusting to non-smokers. How would you like it if every time you went out in public people around you started spraying you with noxious, foul smelling and carcinogenic chemicals? Smoking is exactly that. If you haven't figured that out yet, get a clue.

Ignorance of what you are doing is no excuse.

If you promise to never smoke near other people and promise to never use medical insurance or medicare or medicaid, go ahead kill yourself, you have my blessing.

 

[negitron]

Now that's a hostile nonsmoker. Makes me almost want to take up smoking again, and I quit 6 years ago.