Why does MN hate smokers so much?

[PalmTreesPurple]

Not all of MN of course but I’ve seen a lot of negativity about it. I understand not liking smoking yourself because of the health issues, I’m a smoker after giving up for nearly a year and I was stupid to start again but it’s a nasty addiction to kick. I only smoke outside, in designated smoking areas, and never around people who are eating/close to other people. I also don’t smoke in places like parks or walking through town. It is either in my garden or in a designated spot. Would a smoker like that bother you, or is it people who don’t have any courtesy, or do you just not like smokers in general?

Not being aggressive at all, just very interested.

Would also like to know if anyone on here smokes themselves?

I have no problem with anyone choosing to smoke but I really hate the smell. I have had to stop going out to eat with a smoker friend as it puts me off my food (sitting next to her and her breath, clothes, hair ...). She pops out for a smoke between courses too. I still go out to have a drink - just not food.

I also hate beer gardens these days. There should be smoker areas and non smoker areas. Cigarette butts and a stale smell so not make a pleasant outside experience.

But then I am obese and people judge and hate me for it so I would never judge a person for their addiction. I can't help but hate it though.

In my twenties / thirties pubs bars etc stank too much. Glad that’s changed.

When I watch stuff like Mad Men all that smoking in offices and on planes looks bad.

I hate the smell, urgh. Plus it can kill you and make you more wrinkly Plus I don't like DC to see people smoking as it normalises it, though to be fair they are probably more anti smoking than me so perhaps it's not an issue...

Yeah it’s the smell for me. Lots of smokers seem to convince themselves they don’t smell. It’s really awful. I honestly can’t have a conversation with a smoker, I make an excuse and leave because it makes me feel physically sick. I once had a coworker who lived with someone who smoked (she herself never did) and I had to avoid hanging my coat next to hers otherwise by the end of the day it would absolutely stink of smoke and I couldn’t wear it on the way home. It sticks to everything, it really is just rank.

@SweepTheHalls

I dislike it as it stinks, spreads, so neighbours smoking in their gardens makes my house smell. It kills you. It kills people near you. It is a waste of money.

^ This.

"20:07BranchAndPoppy

I find your comments pretty disgusting tbhdolphin. You are probably in some position of privilege (as I am) which means you either haven't had the social background, opportunity or trauma which may have led either one of us into addiction."
Its smoking I find disgusting, I dont really care if its borne from addiction or social trauma, it's purely the act of smoking. Not everyone who smokes does it because of some sort of social trauma. A lot of people say they just enjoy it.

"I've never worked in addiction, but I did lose my mum to alcoholism. Yes, she probably was weaker in some way than you or I. But, it's delightful to know that someone like you, finds her disgusting."

Again, its smoking that repulses me, not alcoholism. I've already said that I'm not a fan of alcoholism, but it just doesnt disgust me as much as smokers. I have a lot of sympathy for alcoholics and their addiction /weakness.

"Do you feel this way about any sort of weakness? "

Just smoking really.

"If a child is less intelligent for example, do you find that disgusting? If someone has a physical disability, like rheumatoid arthritis, which might make them physically weaker, do you find that disgusting?"

What a strange thing to say.

"You sound like someone from history. Not a good someone."

Are all people from history not good? again, what a strange thing to say. This is a thread about smoking. The op has asked why people dont like smoking and I've been quite open and honest in my replies. Perhaps if more smokers knew what people thought about it, they wouldnt smoke.

I don't like the smell of cigarettes but I can never smell it on other people. Smokers could smoke a fag and then come and sit next to me and I won't smell a thing unless it's cannabis 😂 I just don't notice fag smoke unless it's in the air, once settled on someone I can't seem to pick it up. Hate walking past smokers as that smell makes me feel grim.

I was raised non-smoking household too so you'd think I would be able to smell it on hair etc, but no.

Most of my friends are smokers, I only tend to ponce one of them when I'm drunk , same as my Uncle - he doesn't smoke at all, no one does in their house, but once he's had a few pints, he will.

Maybe it's a scent problem I have with the smell of smoke... Maybe genetic because I never got caught sneaking off with my friends for a joint or a ciggie when I started smoking as a teen (rebellious phase), I'd just spray some perfume on myself and go home and nothing was said - and this is from people who said the first time I come home smelling like an ashtray I can sleep in the shed!

By 'hate walking past smokers' I mean one's who are actively puffing/has a lit one

For me now it is linked with the death of my grandfather, he had lung cancer. My father also has COPD which will kill him soon. My parents both smoked around me and my brother from birth and we both have severe asthma. My mum only quit when the doctor shouted at her as I was blue lighted to hospital as I had a bad chest infection and she had sat in my room smoking.

I also hate the smell. It triggers my asthma. I never went out to clubs or pubs before the smoking bam as I hated the smell it left on my hair and clothes. I often had to change seats on the bus due to the smell of stale smoke.

Obviously people can do as they want, but i just choose to remove myself from that situation. I will move away if someone starts smoking at the bus stop for example. We never sit outside with our friend who smokes as the rest of us don't like it. I also put on my online dating profile that smoking was a deal breaker for me.

I think for a lot of people though it is just the smell.

I don’t think smoking has any effect on IQ. Smoking only reflects on IQ and general intelligence when if the smoker has been educated about the risks. So, yes, in today’s society, that is about everyone. Hence ‘the smokers are stupid’ argument.

"20:12SinkGirl

"why on earth should I do that? It doesnt interest me enough to do that."

"Of course - far better to remain ignorant and continue hurling abuse around. What a lovely way to live."

Well not many people go and research something they don't really want to know anything more about.

"Addiction to me is disgusting, and people who are addicted are weak. It's not at all disgraceful to say so Its a fact."

"It’s interesting that you’ve been calling others thick while spouting utter garbage like this. It’s categorically not a fact - do you know what facts are?"

Do you? Addiction is a weakness. That is a fact.

"Even the word "smoker" makes me feel disgusted. It's a whole different level of repulsion for me."

"I don’t know why I quoted this because I don’t even have any words for how bizarre this is."

Why bizarre? Smoking disgusts me to the core.

@DolphinandDuck, well, my mum was in AA before she died and many of the people there had taken up smoking after quitting alcohol. I also know someone who treats drug addicts and he said that often people who manage to kick the drug habit, take up or continue to smoke. Because it is the only thing which doesn't instantly change their personalities and create dangerous anti social behaviour in their homes or elsewhere. Nobody smokes a packet of fags and then goes and beats someone up because they don't know what they're doing.

So maybe you could extend your compassion for alcoholics and other addicts to smokers.

I don't think anyone who doesn't smoke (or very few people who don't smoke) enjoys the smell. But to find the people doing it "disgusting" and repeating that on here is actually pretty bad, considering you say you have sympathy for other addicts.

My MIL smokes only in her garden and it has never bothered me. Its her house yet she goes to a spot outside as she knows others dislike smoke.

I hate threads like this. A lot of pp smoke because they are anxious and smoking helps calm them. Also it's both a physical and psychological addiction and is very hard to break. Most smokers know how much they are loathed by other pp and are desperate to quit, and have probably tried many times.

I only managed to quit fags ( after trying many methods to stop) by vaping. However that's seen as almost as socially unacceptable by many on here.

We can't win really

Ah the old trope, addiction is a weakness, good to see the old myths alive and well!

And if I started a thread about how loathsome I found obese pp, I'd be dragged to hell and back ( rightfully). Pp mainly want to be healthy and well, but deal with stress and trauma in different ways.

Hate smoke, not the smoker...

Cigarettes smell disgusting, and are a serious health hazard.
But I actually feel sorry for smokers (as long as they don't smoke at me)

"So maybe you could extend your compassion for alcoholics and other addicts to smokers."

I'm sorry no. I could never have compassion for smokers. As I've said, it disgusts me to the core. It doesnt matter to me why they smoke, it's the fact that they do smoke.

Why are smokers stupid? You could argue it's the opposite.

What's the alternative to dying from a smoking related illness? We all die from something and usually it's not that nice however you go. Fewer smokers means an increase in very elderly dementia sufferers. I don't want that end for myself. Hanging on a few extra years to be neglected in a care home, resented by the younger generation as a 'coffin dodging' pension-taking burden? Not what everyone would call desirable.

Over 65,000 care home residents died over the last few months. At least 20,000 from coronavirus. Hospitals discharged infected residents to care homes. The other residents were sitting ducks. Lessons haven't been learned as the deaths continue. The majority of current coronavirus deaths are in care homes. And very few people seem to actually care. Because they were all old and 'have had their time'. Mumsnet was inundated with posts complaining about lockdown being a pain and why bother just to protect the over 60s.

I'm more and more convinced taking up smoking again is the way to go. The tax revenue would be such a welcome boost too following the economic impact of coronavirus.

I don’t mind the smell of fresh cigarette smoke/ don’t care if someone smokes next to me outdoors for example. But I do mind when smokers throw their trash on the floor. With one exception-a friend who kept a little vintage portable ashtray with a snap-closed lid in her bag- every smoker I know throws their shit on the ground and that’s why I don’t like them.

"We can't win really"

Well you can. You can stop.

I don't like the smell but addictions are bloody hard to give up so lots of luck to the op and anyone else trying to quit.

@Destinysdaughter

And if I started a thread about how loathsome I found obese pp, I'd be dragged to hell and back ( rightfully). Pp mainly want to be healthy and well, but deal with stress and trauma in different ways.

^^ This.

And yet time and time again I've seen threads on here about smoking weed and the posts are totally different because they seem to think weed is cool

As I've said, it disgusts me to the core. It doesnt matter to me why they smoke, it's the fact that they do smoke

I feel this way about really obese people, especially when I can see them eating a load of crap.

What's the alternative to dying from a smoking related illness? We all die from something and usually it's not that nice however you go.
Sorry but that in itself is a you-know-what argument.
You want to go and smoke yourself and your genes so people who don’t smoke go and foot the bill for your treatment when you need it before us. Why should I pay for your actor of self-sabotage?
Also, the damage that smokers cause to other people is criminal in many cases. I know a few people who are victims of passive smoking and have severe asthma as a result.
How can you even begin to compare deaths by natural causes to deaths by smoking? That’s insane.