How many people do you know who smoke in the house?

[Cat Whisperer]

We went over to Jim's aunt's house again this Christmas Eve, and once again I marvelled at them smoking in the house. I see people smoking outside of their houses all the time, but since I'm not a smoker, I don't know how common it is to smoke inside your house as a regular habit. That's where you all come in - I'm curious how common this is.

Do you smoke in your house? Do you know a lot of people who smoke in their house? Do you know a lot of people who only smoke outside of their house? Would you smoke outside of your house for a couple of hours if you were having a bunch of non-smoking guests over?

[Brynda]

Everyone I have ever known who smokes does so inside their homes. Some of them go outside when there is non-smoking company, but they all smoke inside the rest of the time. As a non-smoker, I hate to go in a smoker's house. The smell is awful.

[Jennyrosity]

Yeuch. I know a lot of smokers and none of them smoke in their own houses anymore - even my grandad stopped after he nearly burned down his bungalow.

Growing up, though, there'd usually be at least three adults all chain-smoking in the living room at any one time, regardless of how many kids were around at the time. It's hard to imagine such a thing now.

[Trinopus]

I don't know a whole lot of smokers -- I work it out to about eight -- but they all make a point of going outdoors to do it.

The fact that nearly all my friends are "book people" -- people with fairly extensive libraries, including artwork -- may explain this a little.

(I used to know an indoor smoker...but she passed away, so I didn't count her. Should I have?)

[Malthus]

When I was a smoker, I did not smoke in my house.

My favorite smoking-in-house story is about the time we were searching for a house to buy - we came across many, many duds before we finally bought, and each dud we gave a nickname. This one we dubbed "Cigarette House".

The place was in a good location and looked good from the outside - but was inhabited by a woman who positively thrived on chain-smoking inside her house (she was one of those rare people on whom smoking apparently acted as a sort of preservative, like the tar added to Egyptian mummies - she was there, chain-smoking away, while we looked the place over).

This woman was about 90 years old (or at least looked 90) and had lived, and smoked, in this house most of her life. Place was neat as a pin - but totally permiated by the most nausious stale ashtray stench I'd ever encountered. The walls were slightly brown and sticky with residue. I was at the time a smoker myself, and I could not endure the atmosphere in there for more than a few minutes.

The question came up between us: is this a cosmetic problem solved by removal of broadloom and repainting ... or worse? Had the smell worked its way into the very fabric of the house, such that it could not easily be removed?

We decided we did not wish to find out the hard way.

[UFC Is Sux]

(raises hand)

I'm having a climate-controlled "smoking porch" built onto the back of my house (it should be finished the week after New Years). But until it is completed, yes I do smoke in my own home unless an aunt who is allergic to tobacco smoke visits.

[Skammer]

When I was a smoker, I did not smoke in my house.

My favorite smoking-in-house story is about the time we were searching for a house to buy - we came across many, many duds before we finally bought, and each dud we gave a nickname. This one we dubbed "Cigarette House".

The place was in a good location and looked good from the outside - but was inhabited by a woman who positively thrived on chain-smoking inside her house (she was one of those rare people on whom smoking apparently acted as a sort of preservative, like the tar added to Egyptian mummies - she was there, chain-smoking away, while we looked the place over).

This woman was about 90 years old (or at least looked 90) and had lived, and smoked, in this house most of her life. Place was neat as a pin - but totally permiated by the most nausious stale ashtray stench I'd ever encountered. The walls were slightly brown and sticky with residue. I was at the time a smoker myself, and I could not endure the atmosphere in there for more than a few minutes.

The question came up between us: is this a cosmetic problem solved by removal of broadloom and repainting ... or worse? Had the smell worked its way into the very fabric of the house, such that it could not easily be removed?

We decided we did not wish to find out the hard way. She was only 30!

And, you made the right decision. My sister-in-law once rented an apartment that had been occupied by smokers and in the four years she was there they never got the smell out despite replacing the carpeting, repainting, cleaning the air ducts, etc.

[TriPolar]

All of the ones who smoke and have a house. Some of them say they only smoke outside, but I know that's not true.

[dangermom]

The question came up between us: is this a cosmetic problem solved by removal of broadloom and repainting ... or worse? Had the smell worked its way into the very fabric of the house, such that it could not easily be removed?

We decided we did not wish to find out the hard way.
A friend of mine is currently redoing a fixer-upper that used to belong to a smoker. Paint and new carpet did not entirely get rid of the smell, but when they took out and replaced all the insulation in the walls and attic, the smell did go away. So, yes, it works its way into the walls.

Hardly anyone I know anymore smokes inside the house. It probably helps that I live in temperate California, but nearly all the smokers I know smoke outside, probably because they have children or spouses or something who don't smoke. In-house smoking has really become much less common over the past 20 years as far as I can tell.

[Rhiannon8404]

None of the smokers I know smoke in their own (or anyone else's) home.

[Malthus]

She was only 30!

And, you made the right decision. My sister-in-law once rented an apartment that had been occupied by smokers and in the four years she was there they never got the smell out despite replacing the carpeting, repainting, cleaning the air ducts, etc.

A friend of mine is currently redoing a fixer-upper that used to belong to a smoker. Paint and new carpet did not entirely get rid of the smell, but when they took out and replaced all the insulation in the walls and attic, the smell did go away. So, yes, it works its way into the walls.

Thanks for the confirmation! I thought that might be the case.

Given the intensity of the smell, and the fact we could not live with it at all, I'm happy we decided as we did - a total reno, on top of the price of the house itself, was beyond our means at the time.

[lavenderviolet]

All the smokers I've known smoked indoors. Up until recently (the last few years, with the bans on smoking in places like restaurants) I don't think anyone thought it was odd to smoke indoors. My SO's father smokes in his house. It's the one thing I dislike about visiting their home. Thankfully he was accepting of my wish to keep my own house smoke-free and smoked outside without complaint when he was staying in my home for a visit.

While house-hunting, I had a similar experience as Malthus did. One house was an estate sale that looked pretty nice except for the HORRIBLE STAINS ON THE WALL from many years of tobacco smoke. The area where an appliance had been covering the wall was nice and clean, but then it was ringed by thick coats of tar (or whatever). The family was putting a lot of work into trying to clean it up, but we ended up deciding it wasn't for us.

[Lynn Bodoni]

When I was a smoker, I did not smoke in my house.

My favorite smoking-in-house story is about the time we were searching for a house to buy - we came across many, many duds before we finally bought, and each dud we gave a nickname. This one we dubbed "Cigarette House".

The place was in a good location and looked good from the outside - but was inhabited by a woman who positively thrived on chain-smoking inside her house (she was one of those rare people on whom smoking apparently acted as a sort of preservative, like the tar added to Egyptian mummies - she was there, chain-smoking away, while we looked the place over).

This woman was about 90 years old (or at least looked 90) and had lived, and smoked, in this house most of her life. Place was neat as a pin - but totally permiated by the most nausious stale ashtray stench I'd ever encountered. The walls were slightly brown and sticky with residue. I was at the time a smoker myself, and I could not endure the atmosphere in there for more than a few minutes.

The question came up between us: is this a cosmetic problem solved by removal of broadloom and repainting ... or worse? Had the smell worked its way into the very fabric of the house, such that it could not easily be removed?

We decided we did not wish to find out the hard way. Many of my husband's relatives smoke, and they all smoke inside their homes. They'll usually smoke inside other people's homes, too, unless those other people make it clear that smoking is Not Allowed. This is one of the reasons why I don't socialize with my inlaws very much. Another reason is because I'm scared that The Stupid is contagious.

And in answer to the house question...the tar and nicotine and other nasties seep right into the materials of the house. We lived in my grandparents' old house, which we bought, for over 20 years. Grandpa had smoked in that house for about 40 years. In fact, he'd frequently have two or three cigarettes lit and burning in separate rooms. He'd light one, set it down, wander into another room, forget that he already had a lit cig in the first room, and light up another one. So even though he was just one smoker, that house had the equivalent of two or three housebound chain smokers in it. The walls and ceilings were more than just lightly brown. We had to replace the sheetrock in some of the rooms.

[Susie Derkins]

My dad is the only person I know who still smokes inside. He lives in an efficiency apartment with yellow walls. Yech.

[Al Bundy]

I know smokers, but I don't have any regular friends who smoke. Smoking is a deal breaker for friendship. I know one smoker who smokes inside because I repaired his computer inside.

[Glory]

My mom smokes inside the house. I had to beg her to cut back a little last Christmas when I visited, the place was nearly blue with smoke and I felt I couldn't get a breath of air.

[Cunctator]

None, I think. The few rare smokers whom I know are all forced by their families to go outside into the garden.

[Typo Negative]

My live-in GF smokes. She does NOT smoke in the house. No one does.

But before we moved in together, she lived in another house with a roommate. Both of them smoked, but not in the house.

[Pai325]

None of the smokers I've ever known have smoked outside their own homes. I'm down to knowing only one, and he smokes inside his home but outside anywhere else. I guess it wouldn't occur to me that they wouldn't. I've never smoked, but my parents were chain smokers, and had the deaths to prove it.

[Ibanez]

When I did smoke I smoked outside. It stinks and stinks up everything.

[Steophan]

I don't smoke that often these days, but I'll smoke in my house if I fancy it. At least one of my housemates does regularly, as do several friends of mine when they come over.

[ZipperJJ]

I grew up with my dad smoking inside. I started smoking inside, at my parents' house and then at my own house. My brother smoked at my parents' house but when he moved out, he and his girlfriend-now-wife only smoked outside.

In the past 5 years I'd say I only knew 6 people who smoked.

Me - in the house
Dad - in the house
Ex boyfriend - in the house
Cousin & Aunt - in the house
Brother & SIL - not in the house
Aunt & uncle - not in the house

I've quit and finally after all these years I feel horrible for my non-smoking mom who has to live with the ruining of her house...yech...

[The Flying Dutchman]

We visited my sister in law in Alberta for a week in October and we were invited to a party at one of her friend's house. About thirty people there including a few small kids. At least 10 people smoking. It was like I had travelled in a time machine back to the 70s except for the fact that it was all I could do to keep from retching.

I quit smoking a year ago, for good this time, but I hadn't smoked indoors for years.

[Blackberry]

I know a ton of people who smoke weed in the house.

But I hardly know anyone who smokes cigarettes at all. I can't think of one off the top of my head, although several who used to, and maybe half of them smoked in the house. Gross.

[Brynda]

The poll doesn't really work, because it depends on the number of smokers you know. Better options would be percentages, as in few (less than 10%), from 10% to 50%, etc.

I don't have friends who smoke, but my future in-laws do. They all smoke indoors, and I hate it. I hate being asked "Does this bother you?" after the cigarette is lit, too. Seriously, am I going to say yes at that point in your house? I was raised better.

[Blackberry]

I don't have friends who smoke, but my future in-laws do. They all smoke indoors, and I hate it. I hate being asked "Does this bother you?" after the cigarette is lit, too. Seriously, am I going to say yes at that point in your house? I was raised better.

Maybe your future spouse could privately mention to them that you're sensitive to smoke, or something? But yeah, if you feel like you're the only one in the group bothered by it, that's a hard situation. It seems SO rude to put someone in that position, but I guess some people really don't realize how much being around smoke bothers some people, and that we're not just being picky and petty.

[Ambivalid]

I know a ton of people who smoke weed in the house.

But I hardly know anyone who smokes cigarettes at all. I can't think of one off the top of my head, although several who used to, and maybe half of them smoked in the house. Gross.

Ditto.

[LilyoftheField]

sequential threads -

"are there evil people?"
"how many people do you know who smoke in the house?"

I smoke in the house.

But then, I'm evil. Next I intend to eat your children...

[dangermom]

Thanks for the confirmation! I thought that might be the case.

Given the intensity of the smell, and the fact we could not live with it at all, I'm happy we decided as we did - a total reno, on top of the price of the house itself, was beyond our means at the time.
Oh yes, I think you were right. My friend bought her place as a fix-up project and happens to be the Superwoman of this sort of thing, so the prospect of replacing walls of insulation and stucco doesn't faze her. I wouldn't take it on.

[Antinor01]

My partner and I both smoke in our house as do most of our friends that smoke. I don't smoke in someone else's house unless they say it's ok or they light up first.

[River Hippie]

When I smoked I smoked in the house but only smoked upstairs in the kitchen when it was warm enough to run an exhaust fan in the window. When it was too cold, I smoked in the basement, in the furnace room, where the furnace vent sucked out the smoke. It wasn't totally oder free but not too bad.

[miss elizabeth]

I smoke very little (less than a pack a week, and I'm quitting), but our house already has extensive smoke damage from when my SO's mother lived here. So I do sometimes smoke indoors, because I figure the damage is already done. However, once we get the vents cleaned, I will stop. Or, you know, sooner, if I actually quit.

[kenobi 65]

I don't smoke, but both of my parents do, as does my adult sister, who currently lives with them. All three of them smoke in the house, and have for decades. Beyond them, the only smokers I know at all well have been a few people with whom I used to work at an ad agency, but I never visited any of them in their homes, and so I have no idea if they smoked in the house.

My wife and I just got back from visiting them for several days for Christmas. I always develop a stuffed-up head while I'm there, due to the smoke, and find it hard to go running while I'm there, as I feel short of breath. And, when we get home, the first thing we do is to throw all of our clothes in the wash, due to the lingering smell of smoke.

I do imagine that, when they decide to sell the house (they've lived in it for 37 years now), it'll be a major job to clean it.

[Rushgeekgirl]

Everyone I know smokes in their own house. When I was a smoker I smoked in mine too. Now I have a roommate who smokes in the house but I ask him to keep his door closed because I don't like the smell anymore at all.

[Lamar Mundane]

I just realized that I don't socialize with anyone who smokes. I have acquaintances who smoke, but nobody whose home I visit with any regularity. I also live in one of the least smoky states, in probably one of the least smoky cities in it. Tobacco only considered.

[highrollinwooded]

I am a smoker and I NEVER smoke inside the house. I smoke in the mudroom. Gets a bit cold in the winter in the U.P., but I wouldn;t dream of stinkin up my house. I do plan on quitting here in the next few months,though!

[Der Trihs]

I just realized that I don't socialize with anyone who smokes. I have acquaintances who smoke, but nobody whose home I visit with any regularity. Same here. I thought about it and realized that I don't know any living smokers well enough to know if they smoke in their house or not.

All of my relatives who smoked (most of them) are dead, and all smoked in the house though.

[MissTake]

I smoke in the living room only, with either a window open or an air purifier going. It annoys the hell out of me when my b-i-l comes over and lights up in the kitchen.
When we have people over I will go out into the breezeway or outside. I won't light up at someone else's house unless they say it's okay, or if they light up first. Even if they do light up first, I'll ask if it's okay - it does get miserable to have multiple people clouding the air.
And I try to clean my walls at least 2x/year with tsp or bleach.

[elbows]

I smoke in my house - sort of.

I have a secret room at the top of the house, (a concealed entrance, to an adjunct, to what is actually, attic space), it has a couple of small windows and a space heater, (couple of chairs some trunks) as it's really only for use in winter and bad weather. If it's nice I just smoke on the back patio. But it's nice to have a dedicated indoor space when it's raining or snowing!

[Cat Whisperer]

Interesting results; I kind of thought the indoor smoking would be less than it is.

[Ashes, Ashes]

My parents smoked in the house while we were growing up. Heck they smoked in the car with the windows up, smoke so thick it had to impede visibility.

Sometime around my high school years they stopped smoking indoors. My dad quit shortly before he died and my mom quit when her dementia progressed to the point she believed my sister when Sis told her she'd already quit. It was dangerous at that point anyway.

Now I don't know that many serious smokers and none smoke inside. I've cut down to maybe a third and my resolution is to cut it out completely. I hope the patch helps.

It seems odd that one of my neighbors has started smoking cigars recently. Phew-ee! I keep a fan to blow my smoke well away from the apartment. Maybe I'll give it to him when I don't need it anymore.

[Uncle Brother Walker]

When I smoked, I always smoked in the house. Even when moving and looking for a new place, I have turned down good rental units because I couldn't smoke. Didn't matter if it was a great location, cheap and what not. No smoking? No deal buddy.

I never really noticed the smell. I do notice the stained walls when moving pictures or furniture. The outlines are usually pretty clearly marked. Then I quit smoking. Man, did my place stink! Lots of scrubbing and it's not so bad now.

I know lots of smokers, but almost none who smoke inside. A married couple I know smoke a lot of weed indoors but are adamant about not smoking cigarettes indoors. Every smoker must go out on the balcony. Unless it's too cold outside, which is about 3 months out of the year. Then smoking indoors is okay. Sort of hypocritical, but WTF, it's not my condo.

As a teen growing up at mom's house, I always smoked on the front porch. Mom would half-heartedly offer to allow me to smoke indoors if it was bad weather out, but I never would. At teh most, I would smoke in the garage with the doors open. The only person allowed to smoke in the house was Uncle Gordon. Mom would always make sure he had ashtrays nearby and it was just for him. After he and his wife left, mom immediately took down all the curtains and started washing windows. Confusing.

[RadicalPi]

I have never had a place that I lived in that I've smoked inside in. I have always gone somewhere else. I have smoked inside other people's residences though, with their permission, of course, although those have gotten rarer and rarer over the years, and I don't think there have been any who have let me in the past five years or so. If I recall correctly (which I perhaps should not be doing, as I quit two weeks ago, but whatever), the last time I smoked indoors was in a Las Vegas casino in August 2008. I remember thinking that it was weird to be smoking with air conditioning.

[River Hippie]

I was flipping through the channels this afternoon and there's a new channel that shows vintage tv shows. They were having a George Burns/Gracie Allen marathon and that guy was always smoking a cigar. Inside. No one seems to notice.
Was that common back in the day? I always considered cigars to be much more offensive than cigarettes. The only regular cigar smoker I ever knew was my grandfather and he always smoked 'em outdoors or in the garage/workshop.

[LSLGuy]

I know darn few people who smoke at all. It might be 5% of my friends/acquantances; it sure isn't 10%.

Of those few who do, most seem to have a designated smoking room to be used when the weather outside is just too awful. But they generally smoke outside if practical.

[carnut]

My mother. I spent Christmas Eve with her and couldn't wait to get out of the smoke. She has accelerated her smoking to almost non-stop lately. She has terminal cancer so who am I to say "Stop, it's killing you." (And saying "Stop, it's killing me." has no effect.)

I also know a couple of others who smoke in their homes. I don't visit their homes.

[John Mace]

I just realized that I don't socialize with anyone who smokes. I have acquaintances who smoke, but nobody whose home I visit with any regularity. I also live in one of the least smoky states, in probably one of the least smoky cities in it.

Me, too. I can't imagine being in a house where people are smoking, although it was SOP when I was growing up in the 60s.

[Cat Whisperer]

I was flipping through the channels this afternoon and there's a new channel that shows vintage tv shows. They were having a George Burns/Gracie Allen marathon and that guy was always smoking a cigar. Inside. No one seems to notice.
Was that common back in the day? I always considered cigars to be much more offensive than cigarettes. The only regular cigar smoker I ever knew was my grandfather and he always smoked 'em outdoors or in the garage/workshop.
We're noticing that with older tv shows and movies, too - everybody smoking everywhere. The shows/movies aren't terribly old, either - some are movies or shows that we remember from only 20 or so years ago.

[JohnnyMac]

Is it an American thing, maybe, not smoking in the house? Because 100% of people I know who smoke (and that makes up about...90% of the people I know) smoke indoors. If they're in a stranger's house, they will ask first, to be fair. About 50% of them will ask first if they have guests in their houses, too.

I'm not talking about older folk, either - these people range from 19-55.

I live in the UK, for what it's worth, and most of my friends are from Europe.

[Cub Mistress]

Everyone I know who smokes does so in their house. I have several home health patients who not only smoke inside but do so while wearing oxygen. I have had patients light up while I am swapping out their catheters, doing wound care, flushing central lines, you name it. I frequently have to apologize to my next patient because I smell like smoke.

[HazelNutCoffee]

When I did smoke more regularly, I would smoke in our stairwell (between the main door and the door to our unit) with the window open.

My boyfriend and I smoked inside for a brief period of time (one winter), but we've cut back to the point where we don't smoke unless we're out drinking.

[John Mace]

Is it an American thing, maybe, not smoking in the house? Because 100% of people I know who smoke (and that makes up about...90% of the people I know) smoke indoors. If they're in a stranger's house, they will ask first, to be fair. About 50% of them will ask first if they have guests in their houses, too.

I'm not talking about older folk, either - these people range from 19-55.

I live in the UK, for what it's worth, and most of my friends are from Europe.

It's definitely a California thing. But then, we have really good weather, and not that many people smoke-- about 13%. Only Utah has a smaller percentage.