I have a lot of pet peeves. I cant stand listening to someone crunching their food. I hate dishes being left out. I hate things being out of place or unorganized. And I really cant stand feet hanging out a car window. But, one of my biggest pet peeves has to be smoking in public areas. I hate how there are signs posted all around doors at shopping malls, grocery stores and restaurants that say “NO SMOKING”, so people decide to smoke 10 feet from the door instead of next to the door. While, I have to thank them for not smoking right next to the door of the facility I am entering, I don't think 10 feet is going to help. I still have to pass them going in and out.
I am an ex smoker. I smoked for almost 5 years and the day I found out I was pregnant with my son, I threw away half a pack and haven't looked back. When I did smoke I never smoked in-front of doors that people had to walk through, I never smoked in restaurants even when you were allowed to, and I always moved away from people when they needed to pass me. It was my choice to smoke and fill my lungs with waste but those who don't smoke, it wasn't their choice to fill their lungs with my second hand smoke. Now, all these places I mentioned are bad places to smoke, but the one place I absolutely hate, hate, hate to see someone smoking is a playground. Yes, people actually light up their cigarette at playgrounds where children play! I think it should be a punishable crime to light up at a playground around kids. Studies have shown secondhand smokers have a risk of coronary heart disease that is 30% higher than for nonsmokers who are not exposed to secondhand smoke. 3000 nonsmokers die every year from lung cancer caused by ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoke). Imagine the impact on a child. According to the EPA, between 200,000 and 1,000,000 kids with asthma have their condition worsened by secondhand smoke every year. Also, passive smoking may also be responsible for thousands of new cases of asthma every year. Children who breathe in secondhand smoke are more likely to suffer from dental cavities, eye and nose irritation, and irritability. Kids are very impressionable when they are young and seeing an adult or an older teen smoking is only pushing it into their heads that its okay. Also, a lot of these parents think its okay to just throw their butts on the ground. All they think is, "hey, this cigg is out, its not going to burn down the playground so why not". They dont think about that baby thats playing in the sandbox or crawling around in the grass that comes across that butt and decides to eat it, or the squirrel that comes across it. No, they just care that the trashcan is 10 yards away and they are too lazy to walk over to it.
I am an ex smoker. I smoked for almost 5 years and the day I found out I was pregnant with my son, I threw away half a pack and haven't looked back. When I did smoke I never smoked in-front of doors that people had to walk through, I never smoked in restaurants even when you were allowed to, and I always moved away from people when they needed to pass me. It was my choice to smoke and fill my lungs with waste but those who don't smoke, it wasn't their choice to fill their lungs with my second hand smoke. Now, all these places I mentioned are bad places to smoke, but the one place I absolutely hate, hate, hate to see someone smoking is a playground. Yes, people actually light up their cigarette at playgrounds where children play! I think it should be a punishable crime to light up at a playground around kids. Studies have shown secondhand smokers have a risk of coronary heart disease that is 30% higher than for nonsmokers who are not exposed to secondhand smoke. 3000 nonsmokers die every year from lung cancer caused by ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoke). Imagine the impact on a child. According to the EPA, between 200,000 and 1,000,000 kids with asthma have their condition worsened by secondhand smoke every year. Also, passive smoking may also be responsible for thousands of new cases of asthma every year. Children who breathe in secondhand smoke are more likely to suffer from dental cavities, eye and nose irritation, and irritability. Kids are very impressionable when they are young and seeing an adult or an older teen smoking is only pushing it into their heads that its okay. Also, a lot of these parents think its okay to just throw their butts on the ground. All they think is, "hey, this cigg is out, its not going to burn down the playground so why not". They dont think about that baby thats playing in the sandbox or crawling around in the grass that comes across that butt and decides to eat it, or the squirrel that comes across it. No, they just care that the trashcan is 10 yards away and they are too lazy to walk over to it.
If you are reading this and you are one of these people, SHAME ON YOU! I'm not going to tell you to stop smoking, because that's your choice and who am I to tell you how you should live or die. But think about other people and kids. Think about who you are effecting and who you are killing with your smoke. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Parents-Who-Smoke-on-the-Playground-Deserve-a-Punch-in-the-Face/111463688880851#!/pages/Parents-Who-Smoke-on-the-Playground-Deserve-a-Punch-in-the-Face/111463688880851?v=wall
that is also one of my biggest pet peeves, (up there with leaving jars off of lids.) and I hate it when people smoke in public areas. Especially when I am with my mom who is so allergic her eyes swell shut from cigarette smoke. And it is even worse when the parents smoke in their house or car, when they have small children, its their choice to harm themselves, but honestly, children?
ReplyDeleteOMG, I really hate when parents smoke in their cars and houses too! Or, when a person smokes and a few minutes later they pick up a baby. Smoke can linger and the effects of it can linger for a long time on a person and if they pick up a child it will effect them too, regardless of if the cigg is out or not.
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