Days out with the children are always the highlight of my week, whether it is a trip to the local park to feed the ducks or a visit to our local beach to build a sandcastle or paddle in the sea.
Getting fresh air in their lungs seems to make them behave better, sleep longer and balance their moods. There is one thing that does really wind me up when we are out though.
The inconsiderate smoker!
I am not talking about the ones that take themselves off to the designated shelter that has proper disposal facilities.
These smokers have no care about the world around them or the people in it.
- They walk along the street waving their cigarettes around beside them – just at child height. We even had one throw her finished (still burning) butt into Eliza’s buggy. Thankfully Eliza didn’t touch it and we grabbed her out straight away, but there was no apology from this woman, she just snapped at us that the baby was OK as if it was our fault!
- They plonk themselves beside playing kids on the beach, allowing their smoke to waft over them and then extinguish their butts and leave them in the sand for the kids to pick up
- They walk around theme parks designed for children smoking as they go……….the worst park for this is Disneyland Paris – they even sparked up in the queues!
- Then there is school gate group. They congregate at the entrance to the school gates in their droves for a natter and a cigarette. You then have to proceed to not only battle through the intimidating crowd, but walk through a huge cloud of smoke as you do
Things have improved with the ban in pubs and restaurants. I remember working in pubs as a youngster and coming home stinking of cigarette smoke – it was horrible.
The introduction of Electronic Cigarettes – a cigarette-shaped device containing a nicotine-based liquid that is vaporized and inhaled, used to simulate the experience of smoking tobacco is helping too. A few of my friends have used this to help them give up with varying amounts of success, but the main benefit to a non-smoker like me is it doesn’t give off the plumes of smoke that a normal cigarette does.
My mum is now using an E-Cigarette as she fell and broke her leg. She tried nicotine patches when she was in hospital for 3 weeks but once home she felt stranded as she is not very mobile and found herself reaching for a cigarette. They don’t smoke inside the house and she can’t get outside so we bought her a Freshcig Starter Kit which even looks like traditional cigarettes.
She has cut down substantially and I have every confidence that she will give up totally……..eventually.
Do you think smoking should be banned in public places?
Being a smoker myself, I am invariably biased on this. To ban in public places would be completely impossible to police. What is needed is more to be done to stop the antics you mention.
Education of smokers to be more considerate when smoking in public places. For instance, if I am with a non-smoker, I always keep the cigarette away from them on the side furthest from them and blow the smoke away from people.
Councils should have to make sure that litter bins have a place for smokers to stub out cigarettes and possibly place wall mounted ashtrays. This would reduce litter of cigarette stubs on the ground. I don’t know the figures but I expect that cigarette ends come high on the list of litter – behind fast food packaging and drink cans/bottles.
The best way though is to help people stop smoking. A very high proportion of smokers want to stop – myself included! E-cigarettes are a good thing for that, and also reduce the health problems associated with cigarettes. Why oh why all the arguments about these – they are a good thing!!
I personally still smoke, but much than previous. This has been achieved by the use of a nicotine inhaler (can be got on prescription as well as patches) and e-cigarettes. My next goal is to stop completely!!
I think your article was well written. The woman who tossed her cigarette butt in the buggy isnt to blame because she is a smoker, rather that her whole attitude and stupid attitudes are to fault. Unfortunately, a growing number of the population are becoming ignorant whether a smoker or not.
Keep up the good work.
To add – maybe a smoking ban should be put in place around school gates – this could be easily policed by a couple of teachers
Thanks Spencer – I have nothing against smokers in general. It is the inconsiderate ones that wind me up. Living in Bournemouth you guarantee that the kids always find cigarette butts buried in the sand when there are hundreds of bins lining the promenade and they always seem to sit right by where kids are playing!
You are right about the shelters too – my old employer had these and they were fab!
Even though I am a smoker I know exactly what you mean. I won’t smoke around my children, for obvious reasons, so why do other people think it is OK? I definitely think people need to think more about where they are lighting up.
Mummy of Two – I must admit that I was guilty of smoking when kids were around, but in a different room. After about a year, we decided that there were only 2 places to smoke – outside or in the study (which kids weren’t allowed anyway). And we fitted an extractor fan in said office that had to be turned on when smoking. I hope that protects my sons from passive-smoking effects now, but I still feel guilty about the first year of my first son’s life
I think smoking should be banned in public places….I used to smoke but never anywhere near any children….The parents around the school gates really annoy me…I annoy a lot of people I start coughing and say to my kids hurry up out of this stinky smoke…Disgusting! It’s a wonder I haven’t had a slap by now from them….lol
Kim – I disagree on your main thought about a wholesale ban (reasons already said) – but maybe the school should implement the no smoking by gates suggestion I made. I am sure if enough mothers and fathers (yes we do also take our kids to school!!) hassled the school they could do something about it – maybe a petition?
Kim – I disagree on your main thought about a wholesale ban (reasons already said) – but maybe the school should implement the no smoking by gates suggestion I made. I am sure if enough mothers and fathers (yes we do also take our kids to school!!) hassled the school they could do something about it – maybe a petition?
Ooopps!!! New to this blogging lark – looks like I blogged twice – sorry all!!