To have a fag in my garden if I want to?

[WomanInChains]

I only smoke in my garden, never in the street or anywhere else. A footpath runs along the side of it adjoining a woodland area. Footpath is a short cut to supermarket, doctors, hairdressers. I smoke in the alleyway at the side of my garden which runs adjacent with the footpath.

I am getting sick of random people making loud comments when they pass by my fence like 'that stink is disgusting, ohh someone's smoking eurgghh' and etc.

WIBU to shout over to the next person to fuck off away from my fence if it bothers them rather than pausing and making comments?

I do know a lot of people who buy "dodgy" ones at £5 per pack. It's not hard to find one of these "sellers". I've had them approach me when I've been outside pubs smoking. But I don't trust those cigarettes. Someone gave me a pack once and I smoked a couple and ended up with a horrendous migraine (and the pack looked kind of fake) so I binned the rest. Point is, it doesn't matter how much they increase the cost. People who want to smoke will find a way!

I'm assuming those bitching about the effects smoking has on our health services and the environment also don't:

• Add to air pollution by driving.
• Use gas, electricity, coal fires, BBQ's, fire pits, etc.
• Consume or use any products that could potentially cause cancer which amounts to basically everything these days.
• Partake in anything remotely bad for their bodies that could put additional strain on our NHS, such as regular alcohol consumption, drug use, eating any unhealthy foods or a lack of daily exercise.
• Purchase anything that could end up in landfill ... ever.
• Live in a home that has taken away green space from birds and animals.
• Purchase plastic in any form ... ever.
• Have children. The cost of each hospital birth ranges anywhere between what, £3-7K? And how much is it to put each child through nursery, primary school and then high school these days? How much do all those doctors appointments for snotty noses and a bottle of Amoxicillin cost, and the hospital visits for fixing a broken arm when wee Henry falls out a tree? And I sincerely hope you all used reusable nappies during the baby/toddler stages, 'cause y'know, you're all so rightfully concerned about environmental impacts right now.

I would love to know how many of you moaning are overweight or planning a bottle of wine with dinner tonight. How many of you posted before hopping in your cars to do the school run this afternoon or run to the supermarket to buy a whole shitload of plastic? How many of you posted while the tumble was drying your second load of washing today? How many of you jumped on a plane to go on holiday this summer? How many of you have added to your families this year?

Unless you're all completely guilt-free and not doing anything to strain our NHS or cause damage to the environment, I think a good few of you need to climb down off your high horses. The sanctimony in some of these posts is fucking laughable.

OP, the next time some opinionated bellend makes a snide comment, stick your head over the fence and ask if they drive. Or have children. Or use plastic. Or ever travel by plane. And so on. People in glass houses and all that ...

Storm
That’s interesting. Too much of a goody two shoes me.

Being a 'considerate smoker' is laughable, if you smoke anywhere, it's going to affect someone

And it's attitudes like that which make smokers even more inconsiderate. Because they think why bother to try and be nice about it. As I said before, to give the pub garden example. If I can see people on the tables around me eating I will move well away if I want a cigarette. However, if those people started tutting and making rude comments then why would I even bother to move? People are free to make rude comments if they want but the fact is smoking will not be banned outright anytime soon so, in the interim, the more rude comments smokers hear the less they will consider the wishes of non smokers. Rude comments won't make me stop smoking. If people think they can "shame" people into giving up they need to think again! So yes, people are free to make comments but don't make comments to me then expect me to show any consideration to you. That's the bottom line.

@Mummyoflittledragon

lol, I'm a good girl in many ways! This is my little act of rebellion! That, and not having a TV licence!

I hate people eating on public transport. I find it antisocial and rude, however, I don’t make remarks or tell others how ‘disgusting’ I find them because that would also be rude

Indeed. And yet someone chomping a packet of crisps on a bus causes no lasting effects surely?

Smokers are, for some reason, always fair game for abuse and those who think this is ok really do need to have a look at themselves and identify what they’re missing in life to make them so fixated on what others choose to do

I would absolutely never abuse someone. I would, however, if they chose to light up near me ask them - politely - to move. I don't seriously think not wanting my daughter's breathing made worse, and for us to stink like an ashtray is indicative of a tragic, empty life

As I said earlier - I have absolutely no interest in what anyone does until it starts to negatively impact me. When it does then I'm permitted an opinion.

How bloody rude! I may not choose to smoke myself, but I'm not about to begrudge someone else.

They are forced to breath in your second hand smoke in a public area. They have every right to complain or pass judgement

Really MaryDoll - is there a check list before we're allowed an opinion?

I would love to know

how many of you moaning are overweight or planning a bottle of wine with dinner tonight Nope.

How many of you posted before hopping in your cars to do the school run this afternoon or run to the supermarket to buy a whole shitload of plastic? Nope.

How many of you posted while the tumble was drying your second load of washing today? Washing was hung out.

How many of you jumped on a plane to go on holiday this summer? Holidayed in the UK

How many of you have added to your families this year? I'm infertile.

Am I allowed to comment on the cost now?

Storm
No tv licence. You’re bold! Dh and I got caught when I was a student. We were let off as I batted my eyelids and said I thought it was covered under my parents (as had been the case as few years prior I believe).

I would, however, if they chose to light up near me ask them - politely - to move

That's the key here. If you, or anyone, asked me politely to move because I was smoking near you. I would smile and say "sure, no problem" and I would move away. I have absolutely no issue with that. I do have an issue with abuse.

I fkn hate BBQ smoke too. What should I say to my neighbours who do this all Summer long. Thanks.

someone chomping a packet of crisps on a bus causes no lasting effects surely? not to me it doesn’t, if someone wishes to stuff their arteries with fat, I may think they’re stupid but I would never voice my opinion, as that would be rude.

If someone lights up immediately next to you and you asked them to move, I think it depends on the context and location as to whether that’s U or not. Outside a hospital or school, for example, of course the smoker is being inconsiderate.

The scenario in question is concerned with walking past a smoker for a few seconds in the outdoors. That really isn’t going to impact negatively on your health. 😂

"Costs society a huge amount of money"

This is a myth. For every £1 smokers cost the NHS in treating smoking related illnesses, they give £8 to the treasury in tax paid on purchasing them.

People should be very glad people smoke. The NHS would be even more fucked without them.

Fact fans

I don't smoke, I love it when I walk passed someone smoking - takes me back to when I was a teenager :)

It's weird - I really hate the smell of stale tobacco on someone's breath or clothes, but really enjoy the smell of cigarette smoke 'in the air' (momentarily like in this case walking passed the fence) - mmmm nostalgic :)

Is BBQ smoke toxic? Far more of that going on around neighbour's gardens! Just wondered if those who clutch their pearls about cigs light the BBQ at every bloody opportunity.

That smoke bleeds everywhere too. Cig smoke dissipates quite quickly.

Non smoker here, but I don't mind the odd waft of cig smoke outdoors. It happens.

Some people can be far too uptight. More hang ups than a Christmas Tree as my late Dad used to say!

@Mummy
I'd better not make any more confessions! Don't want to end up on a most wanted list!

I actually really hate the smell of weed, and cigars and incense! So, to be fair, I can fully understand people hating the smell of cigarettes. However I do wonder how you manage if you ever visit countries with no real smoking laws? I went to Egypt a couple of years back and you could even smoke in some shops there! They'd make you tea and put an ashtray out for you! That was weird.

Storm4star they just whine about it in foreign countries as well!

I was enjoying a rare social smoke with a friend back home last year and had the next table of Americans making disapproving faces at me!

Perfectly legal, I was doing nothing wrong. Thee are some smoke free places, too, so it’s like they sat in a smoking bar wanting to be offended.

Unless you're all completely guilt-free and not doing anything to strain our NHS or cause damage to the environment, I think a good few of you need to climb down off your high horses.

If that's aimed at me, I was replying to the post about how smokers pay more in tax than they cost the NHS. I was asking if that's still true once you factor in all the illnesses and disabilities that affect the children of smokers. It's a fair question, frankly.

fullfact.org/economy/does-smoking-cost-much-it-makes-treasury/

OK, so none of you BBQ smoking fiends will own up to polluting all around them! Gotcha.

The comments are obviously annoying you and you've not been able to just ignore them and reassure yourself that you're not doing anything wrong, so if you want to stop feeling annoyed the only remaining action is to stop smoking by that path. Can you smoke nearer your house?

You could install an extractor fan outside your kitchen.

I absolutely hate smoking. If it only affected you, then fine. But it doesn't. And it stinks. And it's poisonous.

I think they should triple the cost of them and you should have to smoke in designated areas.

Not one of the clutching pearl brigade had a BBQ all Summer so?

That fact is interesting. Fix on one thing and forget about everything else you might do do annoy people with smoke. Ah well.

I honestly would much prefer a transient smoker than a full on BBQ for the day.

Yes, I know I am fixated on BBQs, but they are the bane of my life sometimes. And one cannot complain because it is a social event. But the smoke from it! YUK. But I live and let live.