Saturday, July 7, 2007

Dirty Smokers

I gave up smoking over a year ago now, and since then I have been very pleased with myself and my renewed ability to breathe deeply. The majority of the world have also apparently cottoned onto this idea, and smoking is now mainly banned in public places. Joy. Wonderful. We're all on track... However, one place of communal existence was largely forgotten on my part, that is, other people's houses, largely; parties in other people's houses.

Smoking is still legal in your own house. The idea here is, I'm guessing, that if you smoke and your household smokes, you're not killing anybody but yourselves and therefore there's no problem or liability for passive smoking related illnesses and afflictions. BUT what happens when you have a party, and, let's say, 15 of the 17 people at said party are smokers. What rights do the non-smokers have? Who is in charge of designating the whole house and grounds as a smoking area? And who should be made liable and answer the complaints of the non-smokers, when they inevitably arise?

You see, I spent this afternoon at a very pleasant party, with a bunch of my friends. It was fun, great to catch up with said friends, lovely surroundings etc etc. But, when I got home, I realised that my clothes STUNK of cigarettes, and my freshly washed hair STUNK of smoke. Not only was my general smell affected by other people's dirty habit, but my chest was feeling markedly tighter than this morning, and I had to take my asthma inhaler in order to relieve said tightness.

Now tell me - is this fair? Is this fair considering the facts that a) I gave up smoking over a year ago and am now a non-smoker, b) I spent roughly $600 AUD on nicotine patches and another $150 AUD on compensatory alcoholic beverages, and c) I didn't give permission for people to smoke around me and was not asked for permission or an indication of my willingness, whether favourable or not, to be surrounded by smoke?

I'd appreciate your feedback on this issue, as the letter I've drafted the Prime Minister is a little offensive and possibly completely over the top, and will no likely get me into a whole world of trouble that really I could do without.

5 comments:

Nick Huxsted said...

The people at the party do have rights, the right to leave if they don't like it!! I agree with not smoking in public places but your own home....come on!

Anonymous said...

Will you go to that house again for a party though? If you don't, and many others follow your lead, maybe they'll hold a non-smoking party for you next time, or at least have a smokers room/area. If it's their house though I say they can do what they like. You could've shouted at them and seen what their response was like.

Adrienne said...

Find yourself a No Smoking sign and wear it. Then you can start handing out fines.

Page said...

I would just like to express that the smoking was also taking place OUTSIDE - not inside the house as the blog somewhat implies. Anyone caught smoking inside my house would be shot point blank...

Let the people at the party know you are irritated and they will have the decency to smoke further away from you. Almost all of us are social smokers so will therefore understand if it is affecting you.

Baz Dog I love you man but you have the right to reject any future invitations I give you to come to one of my parties if it makes you that uncomfortable...

Sal said...

Hmm, I can see that this blog has now been taken somewhat too seriously. Let it be known that sometimes, in the absence of anything to complain about, I will take minor things far too seriously.

I am more than willing to be smoked around, and I understand that people have the right to smoke, and that it was my decision to give up smoking and I should not enforce this onto other people.

Blah.