Attitude towards smokers

[Iffy]

I seem to see a lot of negative comments about smokers on this forum.

Geeeeze, how did I not respond to this comment...

I challenge anyone to do research on the number of negatives vs. the understanding within the ECF community concerning smokers! If you seem to see more negatives, maybe it's your personal proclivities that skew your perception.

99.7%+ of folk here are of the same ilk... ex-smokers. Just because we no longer desire to endure what our loved ones, co-workers, acquaintances and strangers had to endure due to our 'bakky habits, does not mean that we do not nor can not understand the struggle of smokers.

If we do our best to convert smokers without being over zealous, then it all comes down to if a smoker WANTS to quit! Most folk that I know and come in contact with on a regular basis, know that I was totally addicted to cigs and now are so very impressed with my success. No preaching, no pressure, no in da face attitude... no, just leading by example! So far my attitude has garnered 28 v-verts with about an 80% success rate.

Most of us are thankful we found a harm reduction alternative to 'bakky. Yes, I'm not a fan of the ashtray odor, nor being herded with smokers. But it's how WE handle our new found 'freedom' that can positively impact others. So, I still question the quoted statement in that I can not find the ECF membership in general bashing the smokers of the world.

 

[chemsoldier83]

I think its kinda hypocritical to act like an ... towards smokers. Mostly because I remember how annoying it was to be hassled when I was still choking down a pack a day. You can't quit til your mentally prepared to do so. And people seem to completely lose sight of that pretty soon after success. I know I still go to the vfw despite the huge cloud of smoke and ill even let some one smoke in my car as long as the t tops are off.

The best thing we can do is back off. Most smokers are intrigued when they see a pv for the first time. If we're in smokers faces all time then they will just assume that we as a community are jerks.

 

[Jett1980s]

For me... I would say and tell you even though I'm vaping my brother still smokes, and he isn't open to the idea of vaping. That said, no two people are alike, there will always be people who want to smoke and people like us who want to quit but still vape. I also have friends that smoke cigars throughout the day and won't ever switch to vaping because to them the whole experience is different. I would say where we come from, we can understand how it is and how it was like for us and therefore draw a better understanding to smokers. I don't hate smokers, it's a choice, to all my smoking friends I will always introduce vaping to them, but whether or not they decide to make the decision to switch over would be theirs, that being said smokers aren't bad people or anything of the sort, they're just people. So I hold a very open view on the subject, I don't hate them or anything, and they will always be welcomed to smoke inside my house when they come over, unless there's a kid around or family or elderly that you don't want them breathing in second hand smoke you can always do a gathering outside your place, there're many workarounds to it and many ways you can approach it, but overall, I don't hate smokers, it's just a choice, and everyone is human, what matters is the kind of person that they are.

 

[eskra]

Only thing i hate about smokers is when they blow smoke around you then later complain about ur vaper around them.

 

[tater_salad]

I don't have any bad feelings towards smokers.. Yesterday while in my group of vapers @ work one of my smoking friends was standing near us and I was joking with her that she was going to kill us all, but it was in jest.
I was a smoker for a long time.. I can't look down on them.. if I know them I may talk with them about vapoing but that's it.

 

[alffalvo]

I seem to see a lot of negative comments about smokers on this forum. Most of us used to be smokers and if you were like me you probably despised people that would make little snide comments and gestures to us when we are smoking. When I was a smoker I always told myself that if I ever quit smoking I would never become one of those people. Even after I quit I would still let people smoke in my house because I always hated visting that friend who tries to quit smoking for a week and won't let you smoke in their house anymore and makes you go outside. I guess my point is that even though we no longer smoke and may not enjoy the smell of it, we should still be tolerant of other peoples freedoms. Being tolerant of something doesn't mean you have to like something, it just means tolerating it. I am not saying that you should let people smoke in your house but if you are going into a restaurant and have to walk through a big cloud of smoke to get in the front door, be a little tolerant. Just because we no longer smoke does not mean that we are better than those that do.

What are your opinions, feelings, and overall attitude towards smokers? If you hate them, then say so. You have every right to hate them, whether it be right or wrong.

Well said your a 100% correct

I no longer smoke "Thank God" & my ego however my friends are welcome to smoke in my House & Car after all I know how They feel when someone says NO SMOKING

 

[Jim N]

... Even after I quit I would still let people smoke in my house ...

Not happening in my house because I didn't smoke in my house when I smoked (at least for the last 15 years). I will step outside with them as they smoke.

I know what you're saying, though. I caught myself blowing away someone's smoke the other day and thought, "Oh, no! I'm turning into an ex-smoking bigot!" I realized if I'm going to step outside with the smokers, I need to stand upwind.

 

[RedForeman]

Smoke and smoking doesn't bother me when I encounter it where I expect to. Home or car of a smoker, check. Outdoor event involving drinking, check. The smokers that get attitude from me are usually the same ones that did so when I also smoked. People that indiscriminately toss butts everywhere (usually within a foot or two of an actual ashtray as well) and/or hover around a building entrance would be in that group.

Smoke free for some time now, I'm subjected to unexpected cigarette smoke once in a while. I'll get a lil angry then check myself, remembering that was what I subjected others to for 30 years.

Examples of this would be smoke wafting into your car while in traffic, or wafting over from a neighbor smoking outside their own home. Having done both of these (a lot) I had no idea how much of a nuisance I was to others, despite my efforts to be a "considerate" smoker.