RANTS on Inconsiderate Smokers
I haven't been this bothered for a while now. And I haven't talked about this issue for a REALLY long time. Most of my friends who know me well, knows that I dislike smokers...VERY MUCH.
The general reason I give everyone is that...I have smoke allergies. But of course, smoke allergy isn't really a "thing". My body is just very sensitive towards small particles. Small particles like pollen, dust...and smoke...cigarette smoke in particular. I get sore throats and my eyes water...and sometimes if I'm exposed for too long, I have trouble breathing. I have respiratory problems to begin with so this just makes it worse.
Most of the time, I just try to turn away politely...or move away...or just try to hold my breath. But I often question whether I really should be the one doing this? Is it something that I have to suffer through just so I can protect my own body or is it their responsibility to do it somewhere else where it won't cause inconvenience/discomfort to others?! It makes me angry when smokers just assume that they can start doing their business anywhere at anytime.
That's why, medical reasons aside, it's also a matter of morality.
Here's an example of something I can't stand.
Today, after work, I was waiting for my bus at the bus stop when a man walked up to sit next to me. He was really sweaty and as much as I'd rather not sit next to a sweaty person, I didn't move away because I knew it would hurt his feelings if I did. Also because my bus was going to come in five minutes.
But then he took out his cigarette...and without ANY CONCERN FOR THE HEALTH of the people around him, he started smoking.
Now, the thing that really got to me was that I wasn't the only one there. There was an elderly couple nearby, a high school girl and a mother and her child sitting on the other side (the child looked about 7 or 8). He just kept smoking his cigarette, choking everyone within three metre radius (including me).
Gradually, everyone started moving away from him, leaving him the only on at the bus stop. The mother and child moved away and the elderly couple who had been sitting down at this point, got up and moved to the next bus stop (which was crowded) and they had to stand the whole time. The man ended up getting the whole bus stop and seat to himself.
That really made me mad. The fact that other people had to move away to avoid him because he was smoking so openly made me realise just how selfish some people can be.
I've given up trying to talk people out of smoking. I know some people have really strong addictions. And I get it. I don't care anymore. It's their choice. I'm not going to spend all my energy preaching to them because as long as they don't do it in front of me, I don't mind. But no matter what, if you're going to SMOKE, at least do it in a designated smoking area away from non-smokers (if available) OR move to a place where there's no one around to breathe in your smoke.
Second-hand smoking is JUST AS BAD as smoking itself. It's unfair to force YOUR lifestyle choices on others. I can't stop you from choosing this for yourself, but why do I have to pay the price twenty years down the line because the people around me can't be thoughtful enough to do the right thing?
So please, if you're a smoker reading this post and you're one of these "inconsiderate smokers" that I talked about...look around you when you light up that cigarette the next time you choose to smoke. Is that girl over there looking at you because she thinks you're cool? Or is it perhaps because she's appalled by your inconsiderate behaviour?
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| A no-smoking sign at Tokyo Disneysea. We should have more of these around in Sydney too! |
