I hate smokers

There, I said it. It is not so much that I hate people who smoke but more their behavior when they smoke. Growing up in the United States of America showed me plenty about smoking. Tobacco companies used to advertise in a way that suggested you were uncool if you didn’t smoke. That created a lot of smokers at the time. Tobacco companies can no longer advertise the same way, but the damage they created in the past was enough to keep it going strong.

Another thing I know about smoking is that it is apparently addictive. The addictive property is why a lot of people continue smoking. Personally, I cannot speak on the addiction side of it because I have never smoked anything. But I have heard plenty of family and friends tell me that they want to quit, but it is just so hard for them to do it. The addiction must be real for so many people to struggle with quitting. For all my friends and family that smoke, I always have and will always offer any support I can to help with their struggle.

Australians love smoking

Now for almost two years, I have been living in Australia. During these past two years, I have realized that smoking is not an issue in the states. A lot of Americans smoke, but the problem is NOTHING compared to the people smoking in Australia. In Australia, tobacco products are ten times more expensive than the states, but no one seems to care. I have never heard anyone in Australia say they are trying to quit. Even when I mention about smoking being harmful to people, they say they know. Sometimes they have a guilty look but never mention anything about making a change. Some even just use excuses, such as “ohh I only ever smoke while I am drinking.” It’s absolutely insane!

Because smoking is such a big part of the culture, smokers tend to ignore the legal smoking areas. I have been working at a hostel for more than a year now. The amount of times I have seen people light up a cigarette in a non-smoking area is ridiculous. I always tell them to move because I CANNOT stand breathing in that smoke. Many times, after I ask them to go to the smoking area, they had the nerve to ask if they can finish their cigarette before they move. Others play the “I didn’t see the no-smoking sign” card and then relocate when asked.

I can try to understand where people are coming from when they smoke in places they shouldn’t. Many people staying at the hostel are from countries where as long as they are outside, then smoking is okay. From that standpoint, they can use ignorance to some degree. But right now, that is a poor excuse since no one has been allowed to enter Australia with a foreign passport for the past six months. So, everyone in Australia has been in Australia for more than six months. They should know enough about the country by now.

Smoking has negative impacts for non-smokers

Another thing smokers tend to forget is how their choices impact others. As a non-smoker who is very sensitive to smoke, I always have to find a place where I will not be around the smoke. Smokers are so used to the smoke they don’t think about how lighting a cigarette next to someone like me can create some real problems for the non-smoker. I usually get cold-like symptoms (stuffy nose, cough, sore throat on extreme cases) after short exposure to cigarette smoke. I know this is not the case for most non-smokers, but there is no way to know who will have a negative impact from the smoke.

The last thing I hate about smokers is how they pick a spot in a smoking area and stay there. I have had numerous experiences where I was hanging out with a group of people, and then they decide to all go to the smoking area to smoke. They often say they will come right back. But sometimes 30 minutes later, they are still in the smoking area with no sign of ever returning. Sure, I could join them in the smoking area, but then I would be sick for the rest of the night. I was left alone countless times while everyone else went for a smoke.

So, do I hate individuals who smoke? No. But do I hate smokers, especially while they are smoking? Yes. Smokers are not bad people. Smokers just have a way of disrespecting non-smokers without realizing they are acting disrespectfully. Maybe, just maybe, this post will help some people realize they need to consider other people when they decide to light up a cigarette.

To all my smoking friends and family: if you are trying to quit smoking, feel free to reach out to me at any time. If there is anything I can do to help you quit smoking, then I will put my all into helping you.