Eww That Smell

Growing up, I was surrounded by smokers.  My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and family friends all smoked.  Going out to eat as a kid, the whole restaurant would be smoking and as a teen we would always sit in the smoking section.  It didn't bother me at all. 

Now, I don't believe one is likely to get cancer from second hand smoke.  But I am in full support of smoking bans in restaurants and inside of buildings.  The reason?  The smell. 

As a kid I didn't smell it at all.  As an adult, no one smokes in my household.  I am not friends with many people that smoke, and I am not exposed to it in public all that much anymore.  I am almost completely unaware of the smoking part of society.  I smell it now.  When I stayed at my Aunt's house last fall, it was almost overwhelming.  It got into my clothes and I could smell it on myself even when I was outside.  I must have went through a whole bottle of freebreeze and had to wash my already clean clothes again when I got home. 

When I am on the subway and someone sits next to me that smokes, I can tell.  When I get on the elevator with a smoker, I know it.  The worst is walking behind a smoker on the sidewalk as you have to walk through the smoke constantly.  I stop and let them get far enough away that I don't have to deal with it. 

Smokers, this isn't going to be an easy thing to hear.  You stink!  If you smoke inside your house, it is so much worse as you have just infused everything you won with the smell, people that smoke outdoors have amuch more subtle cigarette odor about them.  I am letting you know this because people tend to ignore this and focus on health and how the cigarettes themselves stink.  Smokers, you stink too, and cologne and perfume only make it worse.  Don't be repulsive, don't smoke.