# Yes, cigarette butts are litter. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 21, 2001, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058 "2001-09-21T18:20:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/101 "2001-09-26T19:58:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by k.os \* > \*\*Whoa, **featherlou** relax! I’m sharing my viewpoint, like everyone else. I read the thread. Saw plenty of ‘me too’ answers and some very interesting posts. I don’t see why you’re jumping on me like that. > > To respond specifically to your post, > > > [@](#): > > > > “What pisses me off is people that can’t be bothered to read an entire long thread, yet feel qualified to comment on it.” > > Where in my answer do I comment on the thread in any way? I shared my viewpoint. If you feel pissed off that I did, I’m sorry, but I don’t see what I did wrong. > > > [@](#): > > > > "Hmmm, k.os, seems like I mentioned that a little while back on page one of this thread. > > There are also plenty of people who told **gatopescado** He shouldn’t have thrown that lit butt in that guy’s lap. > Would you have wanted me to say: I agree with **featherlou**? Then could I have shared my thoughts? > > I fail to see what pisses you off. \*\* My apologies, **k.os**. I thought you had repeated an observation that I had posted earlier in this thread: “\Another real gem that I see smokers doing - dumping the contents of their car ashtrays out on the pavement of parking lots. \” I see on re-reading that you were talking about dumping ashtrays out at red lights, not in the parking lot. My mistake. (But for the record, it does still piss me off when people repeat things in threads for lack of having read the whole thread. Which you were not guilty of.:)) ---
**Author:** ![k.os](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@k.os](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k.os)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/102 "2001-09-27T22:40:40Z")
\*\*Featherlou{/b] No Problem! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/103 "2001-09-28T07:28:56Z")
I haven’t read this whole thread, so if someone’s already told this story, sorry. There was a woman in Brisbane (Australia) who was incensed by a fuckwit in a car in front who dumped the content of his ashtray out onto the road, at a red light. So she got out of her car, picked up all the butts etc (at least one of which was still burning) and dumped it all in the guys lap. He went to the police, he was given a minor fine for littering and she was given a much more serious penalty for assault or something. Needless to say she was a bit of a hero at the time. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/104 "2001-09-28T14:00:28Z")
A hero? Because, in response to an annoying but essentially nonviolent and small-scale behavior, she deliberately and without warning dumped something that was ON FIRE into someone’s lap, potentially causing him physical harm? This is heroic behavior? Heroic? Well, that settles it. My neighbor hasn’t had his car inspected. It could be dangerous. Tomorrow, I’m going beat the crap out of him with a baseball bat. From behind. 'Cause I want to be a hero. Puh-lease. - Frank ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/105 "2001-09-28T15:35:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sWitchazel \* > \*\*I did a Google search and found this: > [http://www.cigarettelitter.org/index.asp?PageName=Facts](http://www.cigarettelitter.org/index.asp?PageName=Facts) > > “What happens after that butt gets casually flicked onto the street, nature trail, or beach? Typically wind and rain carry the cigarette into the water supply, where the toxic chemicals the cigarette filter was designed to trap leak out into aquatic ecosystems, threatening the quality of the water and many aquatic lifeforms. Cigarette butts may seem small, but with an estimated 4.5 trillion butts littered every year, the toxic chemicals add up!” > > Great, so the butts are not only messing up the ground, they are polluting the water systems, too. (Read “butts” however you wish.) > > I worked as a sweeper at an amusement park many, many years ago. I gathered bits of popcorn, leaves, and other various things all day, every day. By far the majority of items was cigarette butts. I always thought that would be a great punishment for those who littered-- to have my summer job. \*\* They do a beach cleanup every year in Chicago. One year not too long ago, they separated the garbage. The amount of cigarette butts was a huge percentage of the total garbage collected. I guess a beach looks like a giant ashtray. Don’t find fault with cigarette smokers. Just point out that: R.J. Reynolds died of lung cancer R.J. Reynolds II died of lung cancer R.J. Reynolds III died of lung cancer The people who have been supplying you with cigarettes have been lying to you for years and have been gouging you on prices that make the 7/11 stores look like pikers. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/106 "2001-09-28T18:53:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by storyteller0910 \* > A hero? Because, in response to an annoying but essentially nonviolent and small-scale behavior, she deliberately and without warning dumped something that was ON FIRE into someone’s lap, potentially causing him physical harm? This is heroic behavior? Heroic? > > - Frank Let me guess. You’re a smoker. I mean, most of the non-smokers understand the “heroic” aspect to the tale, and also find some humor in it. And let’s not forget - this guy dumped something that was ON FIRE out onto a public street - but oh sure, he’s a _victim_, right? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/107 "2001-09-28T19:49:43Z")
Nope, not a smoker, do not toss my gum wrappers on the ground, and have gotten into arguments with friends who do so. I’m just firmly opposed to the idea of physically hurting someone, causing them pain and possible injury, as a response to a transgression as small as this one is. There are any number of things that irritate me, and that are against the law, and yet I don’t feel compelled to or justified in beating the hell out of those who do them, throwing rocks at those people, or setting them on fire. Just throwing my support behind the idea of proportional response, and definitely rejecting the idea that someone who goes out of their way to commit physical violence in response to littering is a “hero.” - Frank ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/108 "2001-09-28T20:19:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Princhester \* > \*\*He went to the police, he was given a minor fine for littering and she was given a much more serious penalty for assault or something. \*\* 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/109 "2001-09-28T21:28:31Z")
Littering is nasty. Littering with litter that is on fire is dangerous. Smoking is fine: It’s your body, your choice. Letting the effects of your smoking affect Me is not fine. Your rights end where mine begin. Dispose of your cigarette waste like an adult, not like a fucking four year old child. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/110 "2001-09-28T21:37:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by storyteller0910 \* > \*\*Just throwing my support behind the idea of proportional response, and definitely rejecting the idea that someone who goes out of their way to commit physical violence in response to littering is a “hero.” > \*\* I agree she’s not a hero, although I understand the emotional response that would give her hero status for a little while. A lot of people considered Bernard Goetz a hero for a short time. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2001, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/111 "2001-09-30T23:13:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by storyteller0910 \* > \*\*I’m just firmly opposed to the idea of physically hurting someone, causing them pain and possible injury, as a response to a transgression as small as this one is. There are any number of things that irritate me, and that are against the law, and yet I don’t feel compelled to or justified in beating the hell out of those who do them, throwing rocks at those people, or setting them on fire. > > Just throwing my support behind the idea of proportional response, and definitely rejecting the idea that someone who goes out of their way to commit physical violence in response to littering is a “hero.” > > - Frank \*\* Firstly, the guy who had the trash thrown through his window was not hurt. Secondly, I agree with the principle of what you are saying. Perhaps it would have been a little wiser to stamp out the burning butt before throwing the stuff through the guy’s window. But thirdly, aren’t you creating a bit of a straw man at which to throw your burning butts? The woman threw one smouldering cigarette butt at a guy in a car who has clothes on and is stationary, stopped at a traffic light. He was unhurt, as there was a 99% chance he would be. She did not (to use your rather extreme examples) “beat the crap out of him with a baseball bat” nor “beat the hell out of him” nor “set him on fire” nor “throw rocks at him”. If she had done those things, I don’t think any of us would be suggesting that her response was proportionate. Frankly, you are only able to imply her response was particularly disproportionate by exaggerating what she did. It verges on the offensive to suggest that the woman did what she did to be a hero, as you imply above. Neither you nor I know precisely what motivated her, but I think almost certainly she did it because she was incensed by the behaviour of the litterbug. She would not have known that he would press charges and turn the whole thing into a _cause celebre_ in which she was the “hero”. Finally, even if she was a bit over the top in her actions (particularly as regards the smouldering butt) I have been far too close to being burned by careless smokers waving their fag around with wild abandon in bars and so on to give a shit, frankly. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2001, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/112 "2001-10-01T19:51:21Z")
[Link to earlier thread alluded to in this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=42115), in which I said all I needed to say about this issue. ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058/113 "2001-10-01T21:21:17Z")
AMEN! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-cigarette-butts-are-litter/83058.md?page=5)