Boy, I learned a lot there. I had thought that Europeans worked more on cessation than on prevention, and that working conditions would have been smoke free long before it became manditory thoughout most of the US. Smokers here huddle in the cold, smoking those things, usually on the back entrance. Most smokers I know would never consider smoking indoors (especially at home), unless it was a bar. Here in Oregon, it just became illegal in all resturants.
But when you talk about HOSTILE smokers flicking lit butts at you... well... I feel sympathy. Cigarette smoke is a toxic fume. It takes strong-willed people to tolerate being poisoned until the body develops a tolerance for it. I find cigarette smoke offensive now, and avoid smokers like the plague. It sounds like to me that there has to be a cultural shift to make people be polite when smoking. Perhaps the smear campaign in the US for the last 5 years caused smokers to become more polite here. What I know about stopping smoking is no secret. Your family and friends can visit http://www.allencarr.nl/. Allen Carr makes a great offer to any smoker. He will buy cigarettes for life for anyone, if they pay him for the first year in advance. No one has ever taken his offer. He believes (and I believe) that EVERY smoker thinks they are a few packs away from quitting.... and that it will somehow be easier tomorrow. Make the same offer to your mother! If she declines, then she is ready to quit. Chad Cooper > -----Original Message----- > From: Sonja van Baardwijk-Holten [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2002 8:47 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: Banning Smoking (was RE: Class-action law suit (was Re: > Quest ion for ListAdministrato rs)) > > > Chad Cooper schreef: > > > > accept it when there > > > employees use alcohol or cocaine at work. Did not exactly boost my > > > popularity, to see the least. Understandable, of course, > > > because by drawing > > > those parallels you are essentially calling your smoking > > > co-workers drug > > > addicts... > > > > They are...! Let them know so they can get help (i'm serious). > > > > Europe has it together much better than the US when it comes to > > understanding smoking and how to quit. > > Maybe, but the incentive to quit in Europe is much less then > in the US. I worked > for several different government agencies. Complaining about > being in a > smokefilled room all day, and as a result caughing my lungs > out during the night > got me a lot of nasty looks and sarcastic remarks everytime. > As long as bosses > in companies are of the 'older male addicted type' nothing > will change. And a > government career is a long one. So it might be another 25 > years before things > actually start to change from a dead textbook page to a healthy work > environment. Actually only two of my jobs were smoke free, > and surprise > surprise... my bosses during both were non smokers. > > > The real facts are: > > Every smoker wishes they never started. > > Every smoker thought they would never become addicted. > > Amazingly this is something I hear from a lot of over 40 year > olds in the work > place. The twens still treat it as trendy and hip I'm afraid. > > > Smokers are strong-willed. > > Getting over the fear of quitting is hard. > > Actually quitting smoking is easy. > > Ex-smokers do not have to miserable for the rest of their lives. > > Quitting smoking can be enjoyable. > > Smokers are not 'giving up' anything - they become 'free' > of cigarettes. > > Smoking does not relieve stress, it causes it. > > > People (smokers/non-smokers) are brainwashed into thinking > the opposite of > > these statements. > > I'm a non smoker. I cannot stand cigarette smoke and end up > caughing my lungs > out with severe headaches as a result when I have to become > smoked meat in order > to keep my job or go out. > I cannot even visit my mom unless I make some strong demands > beforehand (which > usually poisens the atmosphere on another level and makes a > visit inside her > home less then enjoyable). I told her that if I ever come > over with Tom and her > guests smoke around him I'll be out of there never to be seen > again and she can > visit Tom over here exclusively. I admit that it is total > blackmail, but it > seems to be the only way to keep those addicts from poisening > my baby. Only > thing that bothers me with that arrangement is that as a > result I now feel the > urge to apologise to every smoking relative, friend or > otherwise when they go > light up outside my moms house because of my demands > concerning Tom's health. > And now you tell me I'm brainwashed. Looks like I am. Why > else would I wanne > apologise to drugaddicts because I am trying to keep my child > out of their > fumes? > > > Think about that the next time you decide to be the 'smart' > one and tell a > > smoker how stupid it is to smoke. > > I'm not even trying to be a smart ass. I'm just very > disappointed. I'm limited > in what I can and cannot do and for being considerate I get > abuse by smokers, > everytime I try to protect my health. If I ask to be a bit > more considerate > towards me and/or my child, when I ask to blow smoke the > other way or if I ask > to switch places when I'm downwind from a smoker I usually > get the same nasty > remarks, bullying and/or cigarettes thrown at me. I'm not > even asking them to > put the damn thing out just to exhale in another direction. > So what is wrong > with smokers? Are they another class of human being? ..... > Junkies! The lot of > them. > > <anecdote> > I went for a jobinterview. I was visibly pregnant at the > time. The interviewer > in front of me lit up a cigarette. I mentioned that I am a > non smoker and > pregnant. With a very broad and very sincere smile he said > that he didn't mind > at all and that it was no problem for the job he offered. I > remember that I was > totally baffled at the time and wondering if he was testing > me. In the end I > decided I didn't wanne work for an inconsiderate junky, test or not. > I just hope he has had a major heart attack by now...... and > I'm only half > joking.... > </anecdote> > > > If there is anyone who still smokes - please contact me > offlist. The sooner > > you e-mail me, the sooner you will be able to quit (I know > you want to....). > > I really hope you get a lot of costumers for that offer. The > only good smoker is > a dead smoker!.... or a healed one.... that is.... the good > smoker is the healed > one, technically a non-smoker so well..... eh.... I better > shut up now and get a > praline or some other chocolaty thingy... ;o) I guess > everybody's got some kind > of addiction. Mine is just more jummy. > > Sonja > >
