to object to people smoking at Race for Life event?

[melpomene]

I ran Race for Life today and it was great, but dh and I were aghast to see people smoking at the event (both spectators and participants). Just how insensitive do you have to be to realise that it's not a good idea to have cigarettes at an event that's supposed to be about preventing deaths from cancer, and where lots of people are running in memory of loved ones who have died of lung cancer?

I asked one of the Race for Life volunteers about it and he said that it was against the rules to smoke, though there weren't any signs up.

I think there is nothing worse than wanky smokers who will not acknowledge that their habit can be genuinly offensive to other people.

OP: I get what you are saying but it is out in the open air and smoking is legal. It really can't harm you or anyone else outdoors. A ban at such an event would be unenforceable so I guess I fall in the YABU camp (as stated previously).

People smoking outdoors are not giving trouble to other people. People smoking outdoors are generally considerate smokers (ie they do not smoke indoors because that is distressing to non-smokers). So being harassed yet again by officious litte twats who never seem able to understand that smoking is not the root of all evil and that being a smoker-harassing fuckwit doesn't make you heroic, it makes you ludicrous, can get very tiring: the only reasonable response to whining non-smokers in the open air is 'Fuck off if you don't like it.'

if you are genuinely offended by another person smoking outdoors in a public place then you have a problem that needs adressing.

Gosh SGB you sound very angry. I don't think the OP deserves that outburst just for being shocked that people were smoking at a charitable event raising money for cancer charities. Of course she is bu, but its not the most outrageous AIBU I've ever seen. There is some logic in it.

I think you are being needlessly offensive with your "wanky anti smoking obsessives" and "officious little twits" and "smoker-harrassing fuckwit". I don't like to see people ridiculed and bullied for no good reason - so had to come back and say something.

YABU

I have never smoked but my best mate is a heavy heavy smoker. The amount of tax she pays on her cigs is huge. She has run race for life and if she wants a fag after, then good for her. She has raised lots of money

I feel sorry for smokers. They have been slung outside and then you get the people walking past, fiegning a little cough and wafting hands. All so very OTT. My friend really get miffed with these people. She wants non smokers banned from sitting outside nero's, all winter the smokers sat freezing with thier coffees, then come the sunshine, all the non smokers now sit outside, wafting and coughing

Cars are the bigger problem, she doens't have a car

"The body of a smoker is dependent on smoking to continue to function. For this reason, it is not a choice."

I think that's a bit of an overstatement. I am not criticising you or any other smoker.

"People smoking outdoors are not giving trouble to other people"

Walking behind someone who smokes, trying to pass someone who smokes or going outside thru a door where people are all huddled abour smoking is pretty horrible. I say this as an ex-smoker who applauded the no more inside law, whilst I was still smoking. It is a truly, truly terrible habit.

I'm still interested in a response to my earlier question:

"melpomene would you rather that smokers who cannot go this long without a cigarette not attend/participate in this charity event at all?"

"The body of a smoker is dependent on smoking to continue to function"

lol, I missed this. As an ex-smoker my body is still functioning. In fact it functions much better now.

YABU - who amongst us is perfect? People make choices every day, not all of them the ones we would make. Yes smoking causes cancer but people who were at the race for life event know that and i imagine many of them would probably be happier if they didn't smoke, but for whatever reason - they do. Maybe they have made significant changes in their lives already, maybe for them just getting round the circuit has been a bit achievement - so for you to sit in moral judgment when you know so little about them I find disagreeable.

"sometimes go out of your way to shops when you wouldn't otherwise go to stock up on smokes."

nope never EVER go out just to buy my baccy - buy it when I do my shopping, or when I've gone out for bread and milk............I'd never be so foolish as to let the baccy levels get so low that I was forced to go out for a speical trip

Do you also object to all the pet owners who participate and support Race for Life?

After all, they are handing over their money to a Cancer Research "charity" who use their money to test, torture and kill thousands of animals every year... yes, including all those cute little puppies.

YABU
I am aghast that people want to go running but I don't think there should be laws against it.

I think YABU. I agree it does seem a bit ridiculous to spark up at an event raising money for cancer, but it's outside and as long as people are considerate about it (don't smoke in the middle of a crowd of people and dispose of their fag butts properly) then fair enough.

I am a smoker (have given up oodles of times and will do so again, soon) but I also run the Race for Life and I'm doing the 10k this year 'cause my smoking habit doesn't prevent me from being super-fit However, I won't be lighting up at the event...I'll wait till I get home.

Oh well Starlight I am a smoker of 20+ years. I also consider myself to be reasonable .