Yes, I am a Smoker!!

Recently a law was passed about smoking at the beach.  This brought up an array of emotion.  Like many people who live here in California, I love the beach.  I love the smells, the sounds, the feel of the sand and the cool ocean, looking for shells, and throwing sticks with my dog.  I guess what makes me a little different, is that I enjoy having a cigarette from time to time while I am there.  Yes, I am a smoker and at this point in my life, I am not ashamed to say I enjoy smoking.  At some point I am sure that will change. I will want to quit if for no other reason that it is incredibly expensive, but I have no desire to quit at this time. 

I understand other arguments: it is unhealthy, it smells, and the butts lead to pollution.  These are all things, I admit are problems.  I would never light up in front of someone without asking first if it bothers them.  I would never leave my butts in the sand contributing to the already polluted beaches.  I would never light a cigarette in a closed room full of people who don't smoke and think that it would be alright.

I guess what bothers me most is that some people forget that even though I am a smoker, I have feelings also.  I understand that it annoys people, even angers them, but rude comments and laws are not going to keep me from smoking.  Especially the law passed about smoking at the beach.  I believe that when I am outside, and the wind is blowing, which the wind tends to do at the beach, that there is no possible way I am bothering anyone, least of all the lady down the sand who did not throw away her Styrofoam cup.  I loved the time when the woman yelled at me from her car about my cigarette, but had no response to me pointing out the fact that she drove an Escalade, a non-Eco friendly car.

These laws keep getting passed because I am sure the majority of people would like us smokers to quit.  Until we do, have a little more compassion, this is my vice.  The last time I checked, I had the right to do with my body what I choose.  As long as I am aware of the affect it has on others, and am active in trying to avoid those situations, these laws are overkill and unfairly enforced.  After all, it didn't stop the guy from smoking pot at the beach the other day when I was walking my dog.

Comments

[Beata Laszlo]

I highly agree with you!!!!! I myself, am a smoker, but I am also an extremely active person, who loves to go hiking and to the beach, and just pretty much anything outdoors I love, and one thing that always cracks me up, is when I light up a cig I feel like people are judging me and looking at me like Im doing something horribly wrong, but the funny thing to me is, I NEVER litter my cigarette butts, I always hang on to them (even when Im driving) and I throw them away at the nearest trash can. Also every time I leave the beach, I end up leaving w a shit load of trash that is not mine, but left there by others, but I will happily clean it up because I love our world I love our environment, but of course no body ever notices that they only notice the bad, that Im a smoker, God forbid, I must be evil.

[Lindsey Raine]

I think it's very important that we understand the consequences and affects of our actions. Almost everything we do these days affects somebody, the question is does it directly affect them? When we are talking about things like prayer in school so many people have a problem with it. If you do not believe in prayer what's the big deal! When we are dealing with smoking there are issues with second hand smoking which is very much harmful to one's health. I believe if you are smoking in your own car, or your own house there isn't a problem. At the same time they will probably be outlawing biting your nails because somebody doesn't like the noise, or it constitutes as littering!