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?

You’re never going to get a balanced view on smoking from ASH. It’s an anti tobacco lobbying group.

In the simplest of terms the tax revenue from tobacco sales is double the cost of treating smoking related illnesses so there’s profit right there. That’s before you count the money saved on smokers’ pensions and elderly care.

Whatever argument you might want to make about the impact of smoking, the economic one doesn’t fly. Like immigrants, smokers are net contributors to the economy.

The only smokers I despise are the ones who sit on the wall out front while they smoke (mostly pot it seems, it gets into the house and I end up with headaches) and those like the guy down the road who smokes outside but blows it at people who go past - I have to walk nearly in the road to avoid him. But they're likely to be inconsiderate all the time, not just when they're smoking.

My in-laws smoked. For my MIL, it and ice cream were the only daily pleasures of life left for her. In her own home when we were there with the kids (and smoke being a major trigger for my morning sickness), she would go up her stairlift to the bathroom to smoke and FIL bought an AC unit that was meant to filter it (didn't as well as he thought, but it was a nice thought). Her and FIL did take up vaping in their later years, he quite liked them and it helped her when she was in a lot of pain, but she never gave it up and I couldn't blame her.

A friend & her husband were dedicated smokers but both decided to give up in her late 30s as she wanted to try to conceive & wanted to be healthy. With massive encouragement & nicotine patches, they did!
Whenever they wanted to smoke, they put the cost of a pack in a jar. When the jar was full, the money was put in a bank account earmarked for their child.
Even now several years later, they still put the price of a pack of fags at today's prices into that account.
Not sure how much is in there but they'll put it towards their child's further education or a house deposit.
Saving the fag money is really inspiring them to keep being non-smokers.

I don't know if this has already been said but what really annoys me with smokers is the extra time they take during the working day to indulge their habit, leaving non smokers behind to man the fort. It's just assumed that everyone is OK with this. Most notable was the time when 3 colleagues went out for a half hour fag break leaving me entirely on my own...
I had a fab manager once who allowed me to leave early in recognition of the fact that I hadn't taken the same breaks as smoking colleagues had - shame she was the only one!!

@Hangingover

I could never get close to a smoker. Even if theyve given up, I cant warm to them, it's like they are infected

How would you even know? Do you hand out those questionnaires like at the GP to new acquaintances?

I know right? what a fucking moronic statement and I thought it was the smokers with the low IQ's

@JinglingHellsBells

And like a PP - I don’t like the smell of cigarettes but it pales in comparison with the stench of tinned tuna.

You probably do.

Out of interest why do you carry on smoking? @trixiebelden77 as a dr knowing the risks?

trixiebelden77 said they were a lifelong NON smoker

I rather like the smell of cigarette smoke, and some of my favourite people are smokers. I no longer smoke myself - I quit with my mum when she had lung cancer a few years ago - but I enjoy being around people who are smoking. I quite often join the smokers at work when they go out for a puff after lunch: I like the social aspect of it with people from all levels of the organisation chatting together. Therefore I probably sometimes smell of smoke, even though I don’t smoke. Funny to think there are probably people who judge or hate me for ‘being a smoker’. But actually I’ve only ever encountered this attitude on Mumsnet.

My mum and dad both smoked throughout my childhood and still do. I’d say they probably go through 50 a day maybe slightly more or less.
I hate it. They smoke inside and I dread to think how we smelled at school. You don’t notice it as much when you live in it but now I do and it’s rank. Their clothes, hair and house all smell, the walls are discoloured. Their teeth and hands are yellow and their skin doesn’t look great. They get stressed if they can’t smoke - ie aeroplanes, and if they are in someone else’s house and need to go outside they can be popping in and out all day. They do know that a lot of people don’t like smoking inside.
I also just think it looks disgusting. I’ve never thought it looks cool, just really yuk.
And then there is all of the health issues which of course, are the most important thing. I dread the day one of them gets cancer.
All of that said, I don’t hate smokers, I know it is a terrible addiction. I just really hate smoking.

Because smoking is gross, affects my personal space, makes you stink and causes unnecessary use of NHS resources through unavoidable illnesses. I also hate seeing parents smoking over their children as the poor children don’t get a say in it yet their lungs are being affected.

Damn, AVOIDABLE illnesses.

and causes unnecessary use of NHS resources through unavoidable illnesses

Which tobacco tax covers twice over.

Because I spent over five years working somewhere where I was forced to passively smoke by both clients and colleagues. They would all linger at the kitchen door, they seldom went outside and just stood by the door. It was horrible.

@Alsohuman

You’re never going to get a balanced view on smoking from ASH. It’s an anti tobacco lobbying group.

In the simplest of terms the tax revenue from tobacco sales is double the cost of treating smoking related illnesses so there’s profit right there. That’s before you count the money saved on smokers’ pensions and elderly care.

Whatever argument you might want to make about the impact of smoking, the economic one doesn’t fly. Like immigrants, smokers are net contributors to the economy.

Link to evidence? ASH might be biased but the figures speak for themselves.

Tax on smoking does not cover the costs. It’s a myth.

Yup. Complete myth.

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

tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/9/1/78.short

Yes myth. Smoking costs more to U.K. than is received in tax.

causes unnecessary use of NHS resources through unavoidable illnesses.

Do you mean avoidable illnesses?

Smokers tend to die younger, so avoid their old age. Old age is when you are typically most expensive to the NHS.

Dying earlier means that smokers take the state pension for fewer years than non smokers, if at all.

Non smokers take up more public money than smokers because non smokers live longer.

I don't like smoking at all but the cost argument is rubbish.

I don't think people who smoke are stupid. Most people don't actively decide to start smoking, they first become addicted through second hand smoking..... or so a study I read once many years ago said. As long as you are considerate of your surroundings, don't fret too much.

Exactly that @JessStu. Even the amount of tax take v NHS expenditure on smoking related diseases produces a profit.

Do taxes on cigarettes bring in enough revenue to cover what smoking costs the government?

We know they bring in about £12 billion in direct tax revenues, although that doesn't count other contributions of the tobacco industry to total tax take (for instance income tax paid by employees).

And the cost side of this equation is even trickier to pin down.

Estimates suggest costs anywhere between £3 billion and £6 billion for NHS treatments in a given year. In the longer term the total cost might be lower, since some of those who die prematurely due to smoking might otherwise have gone on to cost the service even more money due to other health conditions.

In fact smokers are subsidising non smokers choice to not smoke. You don't get a discount on NI contributions just because you smoke and will live (on average) 10 years less than the equivalent non smoker.

State pension is currently 8k per year. An average smoker costs the state 80k less than a non smoker in pension costs alone.

I once read on MN that one woman wouldn’t be mates with someone that smoked! I think that’s ridiculous in all honesty! I am a smoker and I have pals that aren’t, I always respect non smokers and will smoke outside their home but one friend of mine, who doesn’t smoke, let’s me smoke in her’s as her partner does, they have no kids before any one jumps here and says ‘what about the kids’

Is something that someone else does impacts or affects you in any way, then by all means have an issue with it, but if it doesn’t then wtf is the issue?!

if not is

@Inappropriatefemale the thing with being a non smoker but having friends who smoke, is that things have to be planned around smoking. Where can they stop off for fags, are there exits nearby so they can go off and smoke, no we can't go and get our places at the concert yet as I need to stand here and smoke. Nights out are marred by smoking as they are in and out of smoking areas all night and if you don't go with them and breathe in all the smoke then you become separated. It's just shit.

Because users can post really nasty unpleasant comments. Smokers unite the sanctimonious hatred of self righteous cunts. Sometimes it's quite entertaining to see how low these smug fuckers will go.