It's been decades since people smoked in offices, restaurants, planes, trains and airports. Many smokers never smoke inside their own cars or homes and wouldn't dream of lighting up in a non smokers home. We adapted quickly and easily to these bans that popped up in dribs and drabs in the 90's and noughties. Some smokers gave up, others cut down and those that kept on, quite enjoyed having a valid excuse to leave the office or a boring dinner party by nipping outside for a fag.
But I think it's time to rethink. And to take smoking back indoors.
You want to smoke? Great - but smoke in your own home over your own family. Stop blowing it in my face as I walk down the street, or through a park, or sit on the beach.
Recently, at the entrance to Nice airport, whilst rummaging around my handbag for my mask, I was assaulted by the waft of a dozen or so people having their last puff before entering. That was my last breath of 'fresh' air before travelling - secondhand smoke.
Monaco pavements aren't the widest, and I find myself regularly edging past small congregations of office workers, huddled around massive overflowing ashtrays puffing their smoke politely away from their colleagues and effectively into my face. They hold their burning ciggies down low slightly behind their thigh to avoid the smoke wafting in their colleagues faces - so where does it waft? Pram/stroller/scooter height, yup, right in the faces of children.
Same goes for bus stops where people have a couple of minutes to enjoy their cigarette whilst waiting for a bus, with a nicely placed ashtray for their convenience, courtesy of the government. A perfect opportunity to puff some smoke onto the elderly as they sit and wait for their bus ride to the shops, or the hospital.
Evenings on restaurant terraces? No chance of escaping the smokers. In many countries, terraces have separate smoking areas and the best seats, with the nicest views are reserved for non-smokers whereas here, the best spots are the smokiest. No chance of walking past the Café de Paris without getting a lungful of someone else's exhale.
I am fed up of the smoky stench when walking into the Fontvieille shopping centre through a maze of outdoor tables choc full of ash trays and smokers sitting at perfect pushchair height breathing out smoke over passing kids. One of the main access points to the biggest shopping centre we have is foul, dirty and stinks.
We're lucky though, our streets are cleaned regularly and the ashtrays are emptied daily. There is a constant early morning flow of industrial sweeper machines sucking up the fag ends that have landed in gutters. There is a well meaning ecological movement in Monaco encouraging smokers to dispose of their butts in a cleaner fashion by providing little cigarette bins dotted over the principality and imposing fines if they catch someone chucking their butt in the street, they also hand out little disposable ash trays to Larvotto beach goers. But isn't all this just encouraging it? Why are we making it easier and more pleasant to smoke? Effectively making it easier and more pleasant for people to partake in an unhealthy and often deadly activity let alone spreading it to others passively.
Making smoking less accessible in the great outdoors = less smokers.
Less smokers = less butt ends.
Less butt ends = healthier environment
Forcing people to take their habit indoors will encourage many to cut down as they won't want to smoke on their families and pets. People who smoke in their own homes will dispose of their butts properly.
Vaping or e-cigarettes are sometimes more unpleasant as you can see their cloud of 'vapour' envelop you and vapers puff constantly. Admittedly, the smell is less unpleasant, but in this post Covid world, I don't want your cloud of spit particle infested puff in my personal space. Ever. And trust me it can hit me from 2 metres away, especially if you're puffing whilst walking down the street.
We are getting stricter on Covid rules - masks in queues, masks in public spaces, and yet smokers are constantly removing their masks to blow their breath at you. Why is this acceptable? Why are people encouraged to stand outside the entrance to their office or shop and spread breath droplets over passers by? There is no better time than now to ban smoking in streets or public spaces.
I read an article proudly announcing that when Larvotto beach finally reopens it all its reconstructed splendour, there will be non smoking area. HELLO???? a NON smoking area? How about a smoking area - you know like those pods in airports where the desperate go and puff away in a glass cage with a very strong ventilation system! Or how about all beaches being non smoking? If people can manage a transatlantic flight without their habit, they can manage a day on the beach.
The thought process behind this blog article started way before Covid was a 'thing', but it has become all the more relevant now as smoke, breath and covid transmission share a common thread. Banning smoking in restaurants years ago was because of the nasty smell and risk of passive smoking. Now there is another big risk - transmission of virus and disease.
Dear Monaco,
You are a small, efficient, concious principality. Banning smoking outdoors is not an impossible task. If people choose to smoke, they should be doing it in their own home, car or workspace. They shouldn't be risking the health of others and dirtying our beautiful principality.
Let's be the first country to ban smoking outdoors, we are committed to sustainability, eco-friendly behaviour and conservation. This is one more vital step towards becoming the most environmentally responsible country in the world.
Regards, Carla Webb
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