to think just because it's not illegal to smoke outdoors doesn't mean it's always ok

[Fieldsgrowingdark]

Three of us were queueing at the bus stop this morning when along came a man who stood right beside us and lit up a cigarette.

Myself and my mum were sitting on a park bench chatting yesterday when a young woman plonked herself on the other end (about 18 inches from us) and enjoyed a cigarette.

I've also just been reading the thread about people standing around hospital doorways and underneath patients' windows puffing away on cigarettes.

You will often be told by smokers that it's legal because it's outside, as if that makes it okay.

AIBU to think even when you're outside, smokers should show some consideration for the people around them?

Well said Nicoloa1!

I think its about time we heard it for smokers.

Their voluntary contributions to the Treasury more than fund the entire NHS budget.
They usually die of smoking related diseases in their late 60s/early 70s. From an economic perspective this is a good age to die because they are at the end of their economically productive lives and their children are grown up. They do not draw their pensions for long and do not hang around to consume the scarce NHS and social care resources they have funded. Unlike all us vegetarian fitness freaks!

True they pollute abit. But so too do car drivers, users of public transport, consumers of food which has been produced with pesticides and nitrates, meat eaters ( think of all those CO2 emissions from sheep and cattle) anyone who buys plastic or plastic wrapped products, wearers of fleeces, users of microbeads...I could go on. Let she whoos without sin cast the first stone!

And as for blowing smoke over people outside. It’s a bit like farting in public. Considerate people don’t do it. But it is not going to summon the grim reaper any faster than all the other things messing up the environment!

What is the issue with vaping? It smells far better, isn't as unhealthy as smoking and there is no evidence to suggest that it posed any risk to anyone else. Is it that you hate seeing people inhale and exhale vapour because you find it icky? Is that really a good enough reason for it to be banned?

If food is served out there, then obviously it's an eating area.

I'm playing devil's advocate here MissCromwellatKingscote, but if people are smoking out there, then it's a smoking area because it sure as hell won't be an eating area in six inches of snow in February.

I absolutely hate walking out of a shopping centre or a hospital to a cloud of smoke. It’s disgusting, there’s no need to stand right outside the entrance to a building to smoke.

@pika really wouldn’t want to breathe in some chemically vapour that’s been in someone else’s mouth/lungs etc

I thinking it should be illegal to smoke in public. I think it's a combo of smokers not realising how bad it smell and being selfish.

According to some studies, passive smoking even outdoors can be pretty bad for you.

Nobody HAS to smoke. They CHOOSE to smoke.

Addiction doesn't work like that. Most people start as young impressionable teenagers who make stupid decisions from a place of inexperience and insecurity. And the tobacco industry succeeded in getting cigarettes entrenched into certain lifestyles and cultures. A little compassion for a fellow human being making a bad choice at age 14 wouldn’t go amiss.

Carnival, I think the point is that there are so many greater issues in terms of air/life quality that people don't do anything about. You yourself acknowledged that but then dismissed them as being worthy of action, preferring instead to concentrate on something which will neither kill you nor is illegal. Which to the untrained eye looks like you aren't hellbent on saving the planet but just that you're fucked off with people doing something you don't like and enjoy telling people what to do.

@birdiewoof you know that every breath you take has been in someone else's mouth/lungs don't you?

It annoys me that none smokers wanted smokers to go outside to smoke so the none smokers can enjoy their drink/meals in a smoke free environment. They got what they wanted and all the filthy smokers were relegated to outdoors.
Then the none smokers want to be outdoors too in the nice weather, so start stamping their feet again about the smokers.
Strange don't you think that they don't bother about the smokers being in the beer garden in the colder weather, only in the warm weather when they want to use it.
They call smokers selfish?
The none me me me smokers can't have it both ways.

I don't smoke and I only have 1 lung. It doesn't bother me in the slightest if a smoker lights up outdoors. It's their choice and their right.

What I have noticed is that ever since the smoking ban came in, it's made the smokers more sociable as they all congregate together outside. I see people sat in pubs like Billy no mates due to their friends or partners going outside to smoke, that always makes me laugh.

That's rubbish @williteverend99

• NHS England budget c£125bn 2017/18
• Tobacco tax revenue c£12bn

Not to mention the extra costs to the NHS if smoking related cancers, lung disease.

10% is still an enormous contribution and more than meets their costs

If food is served out there, then obviously it's an eating area

If people are smoking it's also a smoking area.
Most smokers will be considerate, most none smokers will be considerate.
Some people are just arseholes whether they smoke or not.

Do none smokers object if the eating area inside is full and they are asked to eat outside in February, it's an eating area after all.

I do not smoke, and like a pp I often enjoy the conviviality of joining my smoking friends in the smoking area. It doesn't bother me at all. It is a once a month thing. Often there are more out there than in the smoke free zones of eateries and pubs. (probably to escape the holier than thou crowd indoors!) Must be a lesson there! Are all non smokers just pissed off and anti everything or what. LOL.

Anyway, sorry to be so pedantic, but smoking outdoors is perfectly legal. If non smoking people wish to change that, get that petition going. It is up to you now.

In fairness the first battle was won, and the irony is that outdoor smoking areas are more fun than being indoors with the dour brigade. Bet they are just missing the fun or something. Well it happens.

Why do smokers think vaping is better than smoking? People vape everywhere gets me mad on the school run poor kids.

Vapers are not smokers, they are not smoking anything. Smoking is incredibly damaging to health, vaping is not.

@Pika yes of course I do, I’m not stupid 🙄 it’s not full of chemicals though and a vapour so thick you can see it.

I once stayed in a travelodge with my DH and DCs. There was a vaping convention nearby (I kid you not!). All the vapers were sat in the cafe area of the travelodge with their vaping things round their necks or in their mouths like adult dummies and the air was thick with the vapour. It was disgusting.

birdie,

I hope for your sake that your DC were very quiet and well behaved and all that, or there could have been trouble in the camp regarding out of control kids in a public place where adults congregate!

Just being a little lighthearted before I am descended upon!

Jesus, even vapers producing harmless steam are getting it in the neck now.

What a thread! Basically people who don't smoke are somewhat morally above people who do smoke and think it's their place to tell you what you can do and where you can do it. Smokers are terrible selfish people, ha yes ok then when everyone smoker or non smoker daily contribute to the damage of the air and planet by driving using plastic eating meat, spraying aerosols etc but yes it's all down to the smokers. Can't smoke indoors can't smoke outdoors but non smokers can do what they like because as I said they are morally above people who do smoke. And never mind the tax the goverment adds on for tobacco products but as long as you non smoking moral obiding people feel good then it's all good. We all contribute one way or another to pollution and the rest.

You got the indoor areas. Don't wsng to sit in a pub garden while there's smokers. Eat inside. You can't have it all your way I'm afraid.

I really hope the day will come when smoking anywhere except in your own home or specifically designated areas is illegal.

This.

Yanbu.

Banning smoking outdoors will NOT happen unless the legislation changes.

So those of you who wish to ban it everywhere need to get the petition going. It is that simple.

All the moaning and pontification here will do diddly squat except cause unnecessary arguments.