Thank You for Smoking...Not!

Recently at the bars I was a little tipsy when I began spouting off another one of my loud and ostentatious rants of my beliefs about everything and anything. So instead of just sharing my thoughts with my blogging nemesis and the married guy, I thought I would share my lunatic rants with my readers.

My recent annoyance was with the negative stigma that has been placed on smokers, even if it is someone like me who is a social smoker defined by smoking when drinking and with friends. The current state of affairs makes it socially unacceptable to be a "smoker" whether or not you are a social smoker or and addict. It is clear how the country feels about smoking, no longer are we allowed to smoke in bars as we are banished to the cold shivering while holding a cigarette. Now let me be clear I love the fact that smoking is not allowed in bars, I hate smelling of rancid smoke that is difficult to get out. Despite my delight with the new rules, it puts in to quick focus how people feel about smokers, we are not held in high esteem.

Too often I have felt the looks of people who love to judge people for their actions. Some will even verbalize their disdain for your actions by offering up snide comments. I do not in any way condone smoking or say that its a great way to spend a few minutes out with friends adding to the slow death we all face. However, since when did it become socially acceptable to demean anyone who makes a choice, even if its one people don't agree with.

I am sure all of you who will offer up your opinion to a smoker would never dare comment on a 350 pound behemoth who is eating their 5 big mac devouring it without regard. Now that, that would be rude, even mean, but to impugn a smoker, that is just right! Social acceptance makes lecturing a smoker palatable. In return I ask you if you want to lecture me on my poor choices, all I ask in return is that you lecture anyone who makes poor decisions, if you cant do that much, at least offer me a light before you lecture!