I Pit "I'm Sick Of The Smoke"

The BBQ Pit
#1

As a lifelong nonsmoker, I’ve noticed that smokers have generally become a lot more sensitive to us.

More people ask before they light up and graciously take no for an answer.

2 years ago,when my ashen, bald wife would walk into a restaurant or approach the “smoker’s exile” spots near the doorways of smoke-prohibited buildings, everyone would put 'em out without any prompting.

It took years, but smokers have finally been educated to show us our due respect. Which is why I Pit the idiots at Smoke-free Nebraska who supposedly speak for me and other nonsmokers for these abominable Omaha billboards.

The title of the billboards is “I’m sick of the smoke” and they feature dour, scolding, crabby people. To be PC, there are crabby Hispanic women with babies ( In both English and Spanish)crabby blacks, priggish whites ( Haven’t seen any scowling Asians or American Indians, though).

What the Hell are these people trying to do? Alienate smokers and make them feel that nothing they do pleases us; and so give them the attitude of fuck 'em and smoke whatever you want whenever you want?

If I had their seemingly unlimited fount of tax-exempt cash, my billboards would feature smiling bald women and kids, as well as smiling people with no apparent
health problems.

The ones with the obvious chemo patients would be captioned “You Put It Out! I Didn’t Even Need To Ask! Thank You!”

The ones with the apparently healthy folks would say " I Asked You Not To. You Took It Outside ( Or perhaps ‘you put it out’) Thank You!"

Stop the negativity! We’ve won. Let’s be magnanimous in our victory!

You Smoke-Free Nebraska idiots are courting backlash! Cut it Out! I’m sick of “I’m Sick Of The Smoke!” You assholes not only deserve to lose your tax exemption, you deserve to pay double taxes the rest of your miserable lives!

#2

zenith, As a smoker who tries to be very sensitive both in terms of second hand smoke and any litter that my habit generates, I want to thank you for this excellent post.

#3

As a recovered smoker, who quit March 13, 2004, I want to thank you too.

#4

I agree with you 110%.

The other day I felt bad coming out of the elevator. A gentleman was down in the designated smoking area, puffin’ away, and I started coughing. Now, it wasn’t the pretenious, “How DARE you smoke in my presense” cough. Rather, it was the, “Achk, I’m allergic to smoke” cough. I put my head down and walked by, but he started grumbling about jerks like me.

I do feel bad that, while being considerate, he encouters people who do the “jerk cough” on a regular enough basis that now any coughing upsets him.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all smokers who smoke in designated areas and are considerate of non smokers. I’m sorry that you have to deal with jerks on a regular basis.

#5

**DiosaBellissima **, You are welcome! As an aside, it is pretty damn easy to tell the difference between someone who happens to be coughing and the dramatic “jerk” cough that someone will give to let you know in a passive aggressive way what a filthy animal you are.

#6

As a dour, scolding, crabby person, I say you can go to hell.

Also, get the hell off my lawn! No, you can’t have your frisbee back!

#7

But I loved that Frisbee :frowning:

#8

I think the smokers are too busy watching the story of Peter Jennings tonight.

#9

I found some of the TV spots:
http://www.smokefreesarpy.org/services.asp?service=Sick+of+the+Smoke+TV+Ads

It definitely is an angry, mean-spirited campaign.

#10

Great Post and I agree. In some places it seems smoking has become almost criminalized and definitely stigmatized. Smokers are much more aware, the carpets of butts that used to be outside every business is now in ash cans where they belong. I hate smoke and grew up around it, but even I think NYC ban on smoking in bars might have gone too far.
If the smoker is over 35, please cut them some slack, it is one of the hardest habits to break and they started in a different time.
I am much more amazed by younger (under 25) people that have actually taken up smoking.

I am not and never have been a smoker.

#11

Boy, I dunno. I’m not saying the negativity is a good thing, but I can’t really agree strongly with these two statements. Back when I was still healthy I went to a little diner every Sunday for breakfast. I went there because their food was excellent. However, most Sunday’s my pleasure in their food was lessened by the fact that they allowed people to smoke - and smoke they did. I gotta say I’m pretty tolerant of smokers - since both my folks were. But darnit, do you gotta smoke during while I’m eating? Especially breakfast? I know some very courteous smokers, but I see more who don’t care and only go outside to smoke because it is a rule of the establishment.

#12

Khadaji, I guess that what I would say to this is that smokers have, for the most part, graciously accepted their status as second-class citizens for committing no other crime than to engage in the use of a legal product (which, by the way, funnels oceans of money into state coffers) yet still the virtuous bitch.

Why don’t you guys either grow a pair and make it illegal, or else decide just where it is that we can smoke and we’ll call it a day.

#13

For what it’s worth, there are only two places I ever go that people can still smoke: bars and casinos. Most of the casinos have no non-smoking areas. For the ones that do have a non-smoking area, I will generally ignore a smoker that lights up in a “prohibited” area as long as they aren’t being inconsiderate, e.g., blowing smoke across the table instead of away or up. Fair enough?

#14

I am happy for you that you live in a world where if you don’t want to be exposed to smoke, you aren’t. I certainly am not. Nevermind restaurants or bars (which, although it bothers me, I suppose I can choose not to eat or drink out, knowing I may encounter smoke) but the smoking immediately outside doors of my workplace (a hospital), the smoking inside a bus shelter and the, unbelievably enough, smoking in a packed movie theatre, were unavoidable.

I love people who ask me if they can smoke. I often don’t say no if they’re allowed to, because it’s rude (although my friends will often point out that I’ll no longer be able to breathe). The fact remains that 99% of people don’t, here anyway.

#15

I am one of those crabby people, I guess, I don’t think we (nonsmokers) have won. I got a motel room this weekend, I asked for a non smoking room. It reeked of cigarettes. I went back and asked for another room, this one in fact did smell better since it had been freshly spryed down with Febreeze. However, when I returned at midnight and got in bed, I could smell cigarettes. either the previous occupants had smoked in a non-smoking rrom or the innkeepers had traded around bedding without making sure it was smoke free. At work, I can’t go into the breakroom because of the stench if not because of the actual smoke. Even though I avoid the smoking areas, I still come home smelling coragrette funk on my clothes and my hair. The stuff is legal yep but why do I have to share it with you? If you drink scotch, (which I hate) it doens’t make my drink taste like scotch. I shouldn’t have to share your cigarette.

#16

Well, this thread really helps me remember that most non-smokers are reasonable in compromise, as are most of us smokers. (I don’t always smoke when I can in a restaurant.)

The people that really make us dig in our heels are the likes of Khadaji. For those people we’d need and Act of Congress to be raised to the level of second-class citizens.

#17

Smoking is legal. Sorry. Why don’t you start campaigning to make it illegal?

#18

Forgot to preview. Add adhemar to the list. How delicate are you people anyway?

#19

adhemar, More to the point, where do you live that there is an smoking area inside? I haven’t seen something like that since the 80s.

#20

Me personally? Smoking triggers my asthma like nothing else. I cough uncontrollably even from the slightest whiff, and being exposed for more than a few minutes makes me wheeze for the next few hours.