Why do non-smokers often display hostility towards smokers?

[rootX]

#1 OP is making big generalizations about smokers and non-smokers. That's why I said it is nonsense.
#2 OP implies that smokers don't have anything to refute the arguments made by non-smokers
#3 He is subtly insulting the non-smokers instead of providing arguments

Considering his generalizations are correct, he is still arguing against smoking if you agree with #2 which I think he doesn't wanted.

 

[Evo]

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

Nothing hostile about it, I have asthma, people smoking around me cause me physical pain and breathing problems. You think stating the truth is hostile?

I realize now that they have no right to make me sick and inflict pain on me, nor do they have the right to make me pay for them through my hard earned money (tax dollars).

 

[lisab]

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.

Add to that, if you also promise not to take extra breaks at work to go burn one. Smokers I work with take more breaks than their non-smoking coworkers.

 

[Evo]

Add to that, if you also promise not to take extra breaks at work to go burn one. Smokers I work with take more breaks than their non-smoking coworkers.

No kidding, the people I work with that smoke go out for 20 minutes every 1-2 hours. They also are out sick more.

 

[negitron]

You think stating the truth is hostile?

It is when it's done in a hostile tone..

I realize now that they have no right to make me sick and inflict pain on me, nor do they have the right to make me pay for them through my hard earned money (tax dollars).

They have a right to smoke; you have a right to avoid them. They're already prohibited from smoking inside public buildings, bars and restaurants in many areas. They've been prohibited on aircraft for years. There's just no pleasing some people.

 

[Evo]

It is when it's done in a hostile tone..

What? "Shame on them"? Double shame on them. They are abusing people with their smoke.

You think it would be ok for people to spray you with noxious chemicals? You would just allow it?

They have a right to smoke; you have a right to avoid them.

Wrong, they do not have a right to smoke if it is in the presense of people that don't wish to be abused by it. No one has a right to assault another person in this manner.

 

[negitron]

You think it would be ok for people to spray you with noxious chemicals? You would just allow it?

Do you drive a car?

Also, can you point me to the relevant statute(s) which remove a persons right to smoke in non-prohibited areas? If not, you need to stop using that word. Thanks.

 

[Evo]

Do you drive a car?

Also, can you point me to the relevant statute(s) which remove a persons right to smoke in non-prohibited areas? If not, you need to stop using that word. Thanks.

As you yourself stated smoking is banned in more and more places. There is a reason for this. People are starting to assert their rights to not be physically assaulted by another person's vices. In my town I don't know of a publicly accessible building where smoking is allowed anymore. It is finally being recognized that smoking is an assault on non-smokers and smokers do not have the right to inflict pain and suffering on innocent people. That's just the way it is.

Oh, and I don't drive a car inside of a closed room. If they make driving illegal, that's not a problem, my office is 4 miles from my home and all of my shopping can be done with 1-2 miles of my house. I very rarely drive.

 

[Lacy33]

It is when it's done in a hostile tone..



They have a right to smoke; you have a right to avoid them. They're already prohibited from smoking inside public buildings, bars and restaurants in many areas. They've been prohibited on aircraft for years. There's just no pleasing some people.

NOPE! a non smoker does not have the right to avoid smoke. I also have asthma and live in a big city. I can NOT walk down to the corner without breathing in someones smoke. I even walk in the street to avoid the sidewalk smokers. Which is more dangerous for me? A cab in a hurry or an asthma attack?

 

[Evo]

I can NOT walk down to the corner without breathing in someones smoke. I even walk in the street to avoid the sidewalk smokers. Which is more dangerous for me? A cab in a hurry or an asthma attack?

Advocates for smoking don't seem to understand or care that their smoke causes pain and even serious side affects for people that have to inhale it. It is inexcusable that they they remain ignorant of this. I say if they want to smoke that they should complete a course that makes them suffer through what they inflict on others. Like they say, ignorance is no excuse. Smokers need to get a clue. I have no sympathy for someone with a vile addiction that hurts people they come into contact with. Why should I? I can't believe that they would even expect to be tolerated in public.

 

[Chi Meson]

It is when it's done in a hostile tone..

I understand exactly what you mean, and I agree with you completely.

 

[Evo]

I understand exactly what you mean, and I agree with you completely.

It's not hostile to protect your rights to not be hurt in a common area by another person and point that out. It would be hostile to walk into a cigar bar and threaten the people smoking there.

God forbid I try to protect my health in common public areas.

 

[SticksandStones]

Me and my buddy like to have the occasional smoke when we're stressed. We'll go outside away from anyone that doesn't want to smoke and enjoy our smokes in peace. No harm no foul.

 

[Loren Booda]

What is the difference between the pollutants of an idling Toyota Prius and those of a lit cigarette?

Cigarette butts seem to be the only form of litter tolerated by many smokers.

 

[Bratticus]

I do not have asthma... why pay for people who do? If you have no mental health issues, why pay for treatment of people who do? If you have no children, why pay for schools and healthcare for children? If you never used cocain, meth, or other illegal drugs, why pay for the treatment of people who do? No one lives in a bubble, everyone pays for something they themselves do not need.

 

[Evo]

I do not have asthma... why pay for people who do?

My asthma only bothers me when I come into contact with someone that smokes.

 

[Bratticus]

If they make driving illegal, that's not a problem, my office is 4 miles from my home and all of my shopping can be done with 1-2 miles of my house.

I see, and to hell with all the fools that do not live in walking distance to work or stores... suffer... apparently those people do not matter either

 

[Evo]

I see, and to hell with all the fools that do not live in walking distance to work or stores... suffer... apparently those people do not matter either

Take that up with negitron, he's against driving. My reply was that it wouldn't affect me.

 

[Bratticus]

Take that up with negitron, he's against driving. My reply was that it wouldn't affect me.

Of course not, and if it bothers someone else, what's it to you, eh? So long as people accommodate you, you are fine

 

[Evo]

Of course not, and if it bothers someone else, what's it to you, eh? So long as people accommodate you, you are fine

Now you're not even making sense. Are you out of coherent debate? It wouldn't affect me because I don't need to drive, or did you completely miss that?

 

[Bratticus]

Evo, you have asthma, so you think that no one should be allowed to smoke. (your words, not mine). I have hayfever.. so should I request everything that creates pollen to be burned to the ground? I am allergic to seafood... so should I ask to outlaw fishing and prohibit the sale of seafood? I am allergic to a large variety of perfumes.. so, should I expect people to be prohibited from wearing perfumes, colognes and aftershaves in public?

Of course not, those are my pers problems, and I deal with them. They make anihistamines for hayfever, I carry an epi pen in case someone contaminates my food with seafood, and if people wear perfumes I am allergic to, I get upwind of them.

I do not care who does what, so long as they do not infringe on the rights of others. Everyone will have to deal with the consequences of their actions at some point in life.

But, as I stated before, no one lives in a bubble. We all pay for things we do not need. So, if anyone has a problem with the healthcare cost of smokers, keep in mind, that there are a host of healthproblems that are not related to smoking, and everyone pays for those as well.

I do not argue for smoking or against it. It is a personal choice people make. I do not care one way or the other.

 

[Evo]

Right, people that put wads of anything combustible into their mouths and set them on fire inside a room of people are crazy, and should be dealt with accordingly.

 

[Zantra]

Wow heated debate

As an ex-smoker I will say that anyone who used to smoke, then lecutures other smokers is a hypocrite. I'm extremely sensitive to smoke, and I get irritated when someone smokes. But I don't go off on them. I may POLITELY ask them not to smoke. Being rude just makes you a jerk, nothing more.

However, as an ex-smoker I can say a few things about non-smokers:

1. You're wasting your breathe. No one's going to quit on your word. If you think your "social pressure" will convince someone to quit when billions in anti-smoking hasn't, you're nuts. If someone wants to quit, they will. Otherwise they just find you annoying.

2. I can understand the sensitivity to smoke and breathing issues, but I take issue with those who go out of their way impose their will on someone else. Smoking is LEGAL, and until that changes, those who smoke are making a choice, bad though it may be, and this is America people. I see people drinking themselves into a stupor all the time, but if went up to everyone who drinks and lectured them about the evils of drinking I'd probably get punched in the nose, and I wouldn't blame them. Would you?

I guess people who get self-righteous tend to throw manners out the window

Just some thoughts...

 

[Bratticus]

Thank you Zantra, I wholeheartedly agree.

Anyway, this has been an interesting experiment, and what I read seems to prove the original post.

To those of you that advised me to kill myself... sorry folks, I am not suicidal.

And to those of you that got all riled up because the subject was smoking... calm down, you'll give yourself a stroke and then have to look for someone to blame for it.

Peace... live and let live.

 

[Evo]

Wow heated debate

As an ex-smoker I will say that anyone who used to smoke, then lecutures other smokers is a hypocrite. I'm extremely sensitive to smoke, and I get irritated when someone smokes. But I don't go off on them. I may POLITELY ask them not to smoke. Being rude just makes you a jerk, nothing more.

However, as an ex-smoker I can say a few things about non-smokers:

1. You're wasting your breathe. No one's going to quit on your word. If you think your "social pressure" will convince someone to quit when billions in anti-smoking hasn't, you're nuts. If someone wants to quit, they will. Otherwise they just find you annoying.

2. I can understand the sensitivity to smoke and breathing issues, but I take issue with those who go out of their way impose their will on someone else. Smoking is LEGAL, and until that changes, those who smoke are making a choice, bad though it may be, and this is America people. I see people drinking themselves into a stupor all the time, but if went up to everyone who drinks and lectured them about the evils of drinking I'd probably get punched in the nose, and I wouldn't blame them. Would you?

I guess people who get self-righteous tend to throw manners out the window

Just some thoughts...

I work with smokers, love them and they respect my rights.

It's the people that don't respect my rights.

The fact is that there aren't many public places that they can legally smoke.

If they smoke in their own space and not around other people, I have no problem with that.

But then I corrected the OP that said that smokers, if they smoked in their own homes did not effect other people and I showed him that they cost non smokers almost $200 billion a year.

I'm not preaching to smokers, I am telling this OP he's wrong.

 

[Andre]

We are very kind to our smokers here. Granted, they take more breaks and keep the health ensurance relatively expensive. However, they also pay for the collective pensions funds and usually never get to collect that money, so our pension funds are very strong financially. That outweights the higher ensurance fees.

 

[Evo]

We are very kind to our smokers here. Granted, they take more breaks and keep the health ensurance relatively expensive. However, they also pay for the collective pensions funds and usually never get to collect that money, so our pension funds are very strong financially. That outweights the higher ensurance fees.

LOL, yes, one of the benefits is that smokers die, on average, 10 years sooner than non smokers. But that's not really soon enough, 20 years would off set the costs.

 

[Zantra]

$200 billion a year.

I'm not preaching to smokers, I am telling this OP he's wrong.

I wasn't just directing m comments at you Evo. Don't think I don't get it. I'm asthmatic myself

But smokers have to save themselves. They know the consequences and they choose to do it anyway.

I understand the behavior. I don't condone it, but I understand it.

 

[Chi Meson]

You mistook my intent, Evo, I should have done it with multiquotes. Here's the thing...

[referring to OP:]I found an example of a hostile attitude toward non-smokers. See above.

You have an extremely bizarre personal definition of hostile.

-snip-

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.

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

Nothing hostile about it, I have asthma, people smoking around me cause me physical pain and breathing problems. You think stating the truth is hostile?

-snip-

It is when it's done in a hostile tone..-snip-

I understand exactly what you mean, and I agree with you completely.

Evidently negitron and I agree on the how easily stating the truth can appear hostile to others who observe a different truth. I was trying to be humorous here; I thought the irony was too good to pass up. The "hostile tone" is nearly always a tone that the reader projects onto a post. I personally projected this "hostility" onto the OP while negitron did not. Then negitron projected it onto your post, while others might've not.

My own position on smoking was posted a while ago:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2261586&postcount=28

 

[negitron]

Evidently negitron and I agree on the how easily stating the truth can appear hostile to others who observe a different truth. I was trying to be humorous here; I thought the irony was too good to pass up.

Nothing of the sort. Let's compare and contrast, shall we?

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?

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.

Note the lack of UPPER CASE SHOUTING and multiple exclamation points! in the OP. Note the lack of insults ("you're disgusting...") and the complete disdain ("...go ahead kill yourself, you have my blessing.") Sorry, but there is a big difference in tone between the two posts. If you aren't capable of seeing it, I guess I can't help you.