Quote:
Originally Posted by HamsterRage
Well, you could probably argue that smokers cost society at least as much as they pay in taxes with the cost of their health care. In Canada at least that's paid by the government, and drives up insurance rates for everyone in other countries.
I always considered myself a "considerate smoker" when I smoked. Looking back, I realize I was just kidding myself. Just standing in line for something nowadays, outside, behind someone smoking makes me realize how inconsiderate I was. Most smokers don't seem to care that, unless they are outside 100 feet away from everyone, or locked in a hermetically sealed room, their second-hand smoke is making someone feel ill.
We've had a ban on smoking inside in the workplace for years here in Ontario. Smokers go outside to smoke (which is rough in winter). Virtually every office building has a sign at the front door telling smokers not to cluster around the doors smoking. Every morning I have to run a gauntlet of smokers leaning on those signs while they puff away. They just don't care.
And they can't figure out why it's open season on them, now the tide has turned.
[There, I'm done. I feel better now]
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I get it! Being a non-smoker (my whole life) I have absolutely no problem with it being banned. Here in Sweden it is the same. You want to smoke, you hang out in the doorway and litter the entrance with butts. I find it appallingly disgusting. But I also realize that for better or worse they are also people, not as productive (considering the amounts of smoking breaks) and here they will pretty much be eliminated within this decade. The latest is talk of a smoking ban in apartments buildings, the ventilation brings second hand smoke into other apartments. So people are beginning to stand outside on their balconies to smoke (you notice it from the amount of butts under balcony equipped apartments).
Despite my antipathy to smokers I think we will have to accept their presence in society unless we outlaw cigarettes and enforce capital punishment on smoking. Now that would be a clear cut message.