Smoking in books

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by wannabee

In Sydney you can not smoke in a public building, shopping mall, hotel and certainly not anywhere where people are eating inside or out. A few years ago every club and hotel started to build outside smoking areas because it became illegal to smoke inside. Some regional councils have made it illegal to smoke in public parks anywhere near a child's playground and parents can not smoke in a motor vehicle with children on board.

Pikers. Where I last worked in the U.S. you could not smoke in any public building, either owned or visited by the public, and not within 25 feet of a window or door. I asked if it matter if the window was one that didn't open. No, didn't matter.

I was at a restaurant with a friend and we strolled outside to have a cigarette and chat before dessert. In that state, the magic 25' rule applied to restaurants, too. A nice young man came out with a tape measure.

I don't smoke now but I find the anti-smoking crusaders to be silly and tasteless and I do expect smoking to be outlawed with characters in books.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Pikers. Where I last worked in the U.S. you could not smoke in any public building, either owned or visited by the public, and not within 25 feet of a window or door. I asked if it matter if the window was one that didn't open. No, didn't matter.

I was at a restaurant with a friend and we strolled outside to have a cigarette and chat before dessert. In that state, the magic 25' rule applied to restaurants, too. A nice young man came out with a tape measure.

I don't smoke now but I find the anti-smoking crusaders to be silly and tasteless and I do expect smoking to be outlawed with characters in books.

Reminds me of my business trip to California some time ago. There were several smokers in my group, and in that town there was a "no public smoking" ordinance. That meant not even outside, except in your vehicle. But they had no signs saying such. Apparently "no smoking" signs are as unseemly as smokers. There were, however, several helpful locals who pointed out the best hiding places to smoke.

If smoking is ever outlawed in books here in the US, I'm not sure what road they will take. If they take the route they took with movies, a rating system would have to be in place to enforce it, and if they take the route they took with TV, it's allowed only if it's portrayed negatively. I think both would be ridiculous with books, but at least the movie route would give writers more freedom to be realistic. I don't think a ratings system would hurt ebook sales, but I can definitely see it having a negative impact on pbook sales.

[Freeshadow]

nashira i can go with the argument of "unhealthy" or sensless or whatever - but tasteless is pure propaganda - trust me on that - being a pipe smoker i know better
there are tobaccos that not only smell but also taste exceptionally good

[nashira]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

nashira i can go with the argument of "unhealthy" or sensless or whatever - but tasteless is pure propaganda - trust me on that - being a pipe smoker i know better
there are tobaccos that not only smell but also taste exceptionally good

Silly bugger. Wrong definition :P

Though I play with my grandfathers smoking pipes sometimes, minus the tobacco and they still taste foul.

[Fastolfe]

I quit smoking a shade under a year ago, because I had to choose between smoking and riding my bicycle. I love both but they are incompatible, so I broke a 25 year habit of enjoying my cigars.

I feel a lot better, I smell better, I have more money left in my pocket, I'm more socially acceptable.

Yes.
I know...

But boy, do I miss a good Siglo once in a while... Just for the memory, I love a good description of gents smoking a cigar in a dimly-lit smoking room in the evening, having a fascinating discussion or reinventing the world around a stiff drink in a book.

Please politically correct non-smokers, don't deprive us reformed smokers of this literary smoking-by-proxy enjoyment

[Freeshadow]

Originally Posted by nashira

Though I play with my grandfathers smoking pipes sometimes, minus the tobacco and they still taste foul.

No wonder - licking a cold pizza plate doesn't give you the exact taste of pizza too, right?

I like the effect that taste of good tobacco and wine anihilate each other: drinking wine and smoking allows you to taste every bit as if it would be the 1st one from the glass/mouthpiece taken.

apart from that - I don't "mission" no one into smoking. I know
de gustibus et coloribus...

tastes are different aand that's it simply.
As some people never wil like tobacco I'll never do whisk(e)y - the turf isnt my thing

[screwballl]

First, if I ever end up somewhere here in the US that tries to tell me I cannot smoke in a public place, outdoors, I will fight it. That is illegal and I hope the courts start to step up and fight it as a freedom.

Second, I do not foresee any way to outlaw the mention of smoking without infringing on free speech within the US.

[K-Thom]

Second, I do not foresee any way to outlaw the mention of smoking without infringing on free speech within the US.

National health security. Kids might burn the pages mentioning tobacco to inhale the fume.

[elcreative]

Health & Safety regulations are working on banning smoking in books due to the fire hazard... smouldering tobacco and flammable paper...

[nashira]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

No wonder - licking a cold pizza plate doesn't give you the exact taste of pizza too, right?

I like the effect that taste of good tobacco and wine anihilate each other: drinking wine and smoking allows you to taste every bit as if it would be the 1st one from the glass/mouthpiece taken.

apart from that - I don't "mission" no one into smoking. I know
de gustibus et coloribus...

tastes are different aand that's it simply.
As some people never wil like tobacco I'll never do whisk(e)y - the turf isnt my thing

But my bubble pipe in bright pink from my childhood, which tastes a lot better, doesn't look Sherlock Holmes-y

[Freeshadow]

Originally Posted by nashira

But my bubble pipe in bright pink from my childhood, which tastes a lot better, doesn't look Sherlock Holmes-y

I don't remember actually who has such one on his sherlock Tux avatar, but if you mean something like this one: https://www.pfeifen-huber.de/images/...6ff1ebf4_5.jpg - i.e. calabash meerschaum pipe I have one of these.

[JLeighs]

I'm pleasantly surprised when a book character is actually smoking --unless half the plotline revolves around said character trying to quit and/or being told to quit by various caring friends and family. Lots of people smoke. Not everyone who smokes wants to quit. Some people actually *enjoy* smoking (gasp!). For this reason, the current pc trend to have all non-smoking characters is a bit ridiculous. It's not realistic.

Besides, my reading life would be bland without Holmes and his three pipe problems.

[AlbertaCowboy]

Originally Posted by JLeighs

Some people actually *enjoy* smoking (gasp!).

What people enjoy doesn't seem to matter much when someone else decides that it's his absolute right to deprive you of that enjoyment because he disagrees with it. Political Correctness is the DRM of society: it has no effectiveness, is a royal pain in the butt, and those who hate it ignore it.

[nashira]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

I don't remember actually who has such one on his sherlock Tux avatar, but if you mean something like this one: https://www.pfeifen-huber.de/images/...6ff1ebf4_5.jpg - i.e. calabash meerschaum pipe I have one of these.

Yes!

I wonder if they make one that blows bubbles. my grandfather has many pipes but none of them are suited for bubbles.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by nashira

Yes!

I wonder if they make one that blows bubbles. my grandfather has many pipes but none of them are suited for bubbles.

You are apparently not the only one wondering that. Just for giggles, I Googled "realistic bubble pipe" and the demand definitely outweighs the supply options. Lots of people asking if anyone knows where to get them. I would imagine that smoking-related toys aren't popular with parents these days, which is a shame because after seeing your post I was thinking it would be a fun thing to have.

I imagine that a Meerschaum can be modified with a discrete plastic insert, like maybe the end of a small bubble wand. It would be especially cool if you could find one of those old Disney ones. A Mickey Mouse Meerschaum blowing bubbles...

Wait, how did I get on this topic? Oh, yeah, by surfing MR instead of reading.