Are smokers treated like second class citizens

A smoker in the street will be given a wide birth, even heckled at 'you stink' and snubbed for the filthy habit that they have become so dependant on. What people forget is smoking is legal; just not in public places.

Smoking once cool is now classed as a 'filthy habit', a smoker is given a wide birth in the street, looked at with disgust even abused for their habit. Do none smokers have the right to treat smokers this way, if a person was abused for race, colour or disability would they not be hauled up in a court of law and questioned for their actions? It is surprising in our 'politically correct' society that even though smoking is legal, people who light up because they have a legal habit are treated like second class citizens. As a smoker I will admit I don't like the way that I smell when I smoke, I don't like the pressure that I am under to stop smoking however, I question is this because society is telling me that 'I should stop smoking because of my health' or 'that I am killing others with my passive smoking'. Secretly I often quietly tell myself, I enjoy smoking however, if I was to say that in Public, I would probably be given a death sentence because 'smoking kills!'.

I recently purchased an Electronic Cigarette and became a fan of vaping, smoking without smoking, it's helped me like many others to cut down on cigarettes or even completely stop smoking. I've done what society has told me to do prevent myself from an early grave, stop my second hand smoke being passed on to others however, I still get abuse. A few months ago I visited a restaurant, after my meal rather than stand outside to get my nicotine fix I asked the proprietorif I could use my electronic cigarette, he said 'no problem'. The next thing I knew there was a loud comotion from a woman behaving like a child in a school yard, was literally running totell the owner that I was smoking at the table. I was once again being made to feel publicly humiliated for my bad habit even though 'vaping' is perfectly legal in public places as it has no harmful chemicals to me or others. For a none smoker it is hard to understand the habit or the pressure that we have as smokers, most people even hide their nicotine patch as it acts like a label 'dirty smoker' which I find quite amusing as that person is trying to give up the 'filthy habit'.

Obesity costs the NHS over 30 million each year, we don't hear of a fast food chain being closed down because it is costing so many lives or an advert on the back of a chocolate bar with some overweight kid with a slogan 'Eating chocolate makes you fat and could lead to heart disease'.

Turning to an Electronic Cigarette or 'vaping' as many call it has helped me enjoy my habit without any threat to others or my own health, none smokers need to accept that this is smoking without smoking!

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