# Do you let people smoke in your home? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 20, 2014, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535 "2014-04-20T09:50:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/1 "2014-04-20T09:50:10Z")
Do you? I’d say the last time someone even asked was maybe 10 years ago and I said yes but only if outside. I’m not sure I’d even allow that anymore. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/2 "2014-04-20T09:58:42Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this is more of an informal poll than a factual question, it belongs in IMHO. Moving thread from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/3 "2014-04-20T10:11:42Z")
Outside on the back patio? Sure, no problem. I also keep a couch in the garage for when it’s too cold to smoke outside. I guess it helps that I used to be a smoker. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/4 "2014-04-20T10:11:57Z")
I have no problem with the smoking part, it’s the MY house part that still trips me up. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/5 "2014-04-20T10:15:49Z")
I wouldn’t, but it rarely comes up. I think we’ve had two smokers visit in the last five years, and they both smoked outside without asking. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/6 "2014-04-20T10:17:41Z")
No. I wouldn’t even set fire to them. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/7 "2014-04-20T10:22:58Z")
I’m an ex smoker so I understand the urge, but no. Outside (I still have ashtrays around) is fine and I will do what I can to make sure smokers have a comfortable and stink-free environment but not in my house or vehicles, because of the lingering smell. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/8 "2014-04-20T10:33:45Z")
I literally do not know a single person who permits smoking inside their house, and that includes the few smokers still in the circle of people we visit. Not saying the practice is eradicated, but it is fascinating to think how much has changed in the last 2 or 3 decades. I can remember when smoking was permitted in everyone’s house (everyone I knew anyway), it was so socially acceptable and widespread. No one is permitted to smoke in our house, to answer the question, but they’re free to smoke out back on the patio, or in the garage if it’s too cold. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/9 "2014-04-20T10:40:41Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > I literally do not know a single person who permits smoking inside their house, and that includes the few smokers still in the circle of people we visit. Not saying the practice is eradicated, but it is fascinating to think how much has changed in the last 2 or 3 decades. I can remember when smoking was permitted in everyone’s house (everyone I knew anyway), it was so socially acceptable and widespread. > > No one is permitted to smoke in our house, to answer the question, but they’re free to smoke out back on the patio, or in the garage if it’s too cold. LOL. You just reminded me of the time when I was all of 5yo. One of my grandma’s friends noticed a stray thread on my shirt sleeve. So what does she do? She burns it off with her lit cigarette. In the house! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/10 "2014-04-20T10:46:31Z")
I would not allow it in my house. I have been challenged once on it by a FOAF who was a smoker and thought it was an unreasonable restriction, but this was someone who also tried to argue that smoking was like a beneficial antiseptic treatment for the lungs, so I just sort of ignored her (these discussions took place in a pub, so there was not a situation where she actually attempted to smoke in my home) ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/11 "2014-04-20T10:47:52Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > LOL. You just reminded me of the time when I was all of 5yo. One of my grandma’s friends noticed a stray thread on my shirt sleeve. So what does she do? She burns it off with her lit cigarette. In the house! The horror! I am old enough to remember school teachers smoking in class, airplanes and movie theaters with smoking sections, college professors smoking and lecturing simultaneously and smoking being allowed in hospitals. All pretty much unthinkable now but quite normal a couple of generations ago. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/12 "2014-04-20T10:52:25Z")
Yes-ish, in my kitchen only, with the window wide open. We don’t have a garden. Yes-ish because I’d prefer people who smoke pre-rolled cigarettes smoke outside. They STINK. Rollies can smell really bad; the pre-rolled stuff seeps through your walls. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/13 "2014-04-20T11:16:07Z")
I don’t know any smoker well enough to be in my home. But if there were someone, I wouldn’t let him smoke in the house. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/14 "2014-04-20T11:29:33Z")
None of my family or close friends smokes, so it’s never come up. I’d assume any smoker would automatically go outside to light up anyway. That’s pretty much the default position nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/15 "2014-04-20T11:39:10Z")
I smoke in my home; my friends can smoke in my home: I smoke in my friends’ home: otherwise they wouldn’t be my friends. Then again I’m British and we still have some social freedom. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/16 "2014-04-20T11:44:28Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > The horror! > > I am old enough to remember school teachers smoking in class, airplanes and movie theaters with smoking sections, college professors smoking and lecturing simultaneously and smoking being allowed in hospitals. All pretty much unthinkable now but quite normal a couple of generations ago. School teachers used to smoke in class? What grade or age level was this? I do remember years ago the high school did have a student smoking lounge. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/17 "2014-04-20T11:48:37Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > I smoke in my home; my friends can smoke in my home: I smoke in my friends’ home: otherwise they wouldn’t be my friends. > Then again I’m British and we still have some social freedom. I think your situation is a bit different - you’re a smoker - letting someone else smoke in your home is no big deal if you already do it yourself. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/18 "2014-04-20T11:55:01Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > School teachers used to smoke in class? What grade or age level was this? > > I do remember years ago the high school did have a student smoking lounge. Scotland, mid-late 1970s, all ages as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/19 "2014-04-20T12:06:01Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I think your situation is a bit different - you’re a smoker - letting someone else smoke in your home is no big deal if you already do it yourself. Have to agree with this. I was a militant smoker for decades…but when you quit smoking, you regain your sense of smell and for most people (myself included) the odor of stale cigarette smoke - on people, their clothes, cars, houses, etc - is really gross and lingers forever. I can now smell a smoker from across a room, or a smoker’s car at a stop light (really), and feel badly that I used to smell like this. However I have several friends and acquaintances who still smoke and I’m fine with it and will accommodate, as long as the smell doesn’t pervade my living spaces. If I had a friend with a dog or cat who was incontinent or not house-trained, I’d have the same policy - visit, even with your pet, but the smelly stuff has to remain outside of my living area. I think this is quite fair. Paradoxically, I am very opposed to state smoking bans for businesses. I \*strongly \*believe that private businesses ought to be allowed to set their own smoking policy, and let the free market prevail. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535/20 "2014-04-20T12:10:31Z")
Non-smoker, never been a smoker. I don’t have guests often, but if they are smokers, I get them an ashtray. Friend was over helping me do something with my computer, when suddenly he gets up and puts on his coat. I thought he was leaving. No just going out for a smoke. It’s become accepted that no one smokes inside anymore, but it feels rude to me to drive my guests outdoors. I don’t ever want to live with a smoker again, but someone lighting up in my house is no big deal. The smell goes away. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-people-smoke-in-your-home/686535.md?page=2)