Cigarettes and Change, Part One
One morning circa 1990, my late husband and I rose to survey our living room and kitchen post dinner party. In those days we would leave the dishes to do the next day. On this particular morning, the party had gone late. We’d had a lot of fun. There were glasses, bottles, dirty dishes, leftover food, and most offensively, lots of ashtrays. Overflowing ashtrays. The entire house reeked of cigarette smoke.
In the early nineties, smokers still had considerable rights to smoke in public areas. The concept of non-smoking buildings was considered …What? Radical? It seems silly now but in the mid-80’s at my workplace, a children’s mental health institution, smokers and non-smokers alike objected to the simple restriction, ‘No smoking in front of the children.’ Gasp. And soon to follow, ‘No smoking in the cafeteria.’ What? What’s next? No smoking in my office? At my own desk? (The short answer was yes.)
Moi, I have never been a smoker. But I never objected to second hand smoke. I didn’t know any better and in those days cigarette smoke was everywhere.
Back to the morning after the night before. As my husband and I restored our abode, the question came up that perhaps it was time to make our house a non-smoking house. This became a weeks long debate. We weren’t arguing one for and one against. No, our concern was for our friends. Who would be most offended by this request? How would we tell them? How would they react?
Ridiculous, right?
Our friends adapted. The relationships survived.
Most smokers I knew from back then are now non-smokers. Or, pack-a-day habits have been cut to a few cherished cigarettes at specific times.
I’m bringing this up because in my new apartment I live above two smokers. I will spare you the details, my whining and complaining, but the situation has me thinking. It’s been a long long time since I have been in close quarters with smokers.
…It is interesting to me that I would still refer to these people as ‘smokers’ like that is their most defining characteristic.
Stay safe everyone.
I feel for you. It’s in my current lease here in Toronto no smoking nicotine or weed in the building’s common areas or in one’s apartment. Vaping is okay, but I sure wish it wasn’t. Second hand smoke of any kind is beyond vile.
Thank you Barbara.
Smoking as a social issue really has me thinking. I’m not sure where this will take me, but intend to explore it further in future posts.