Smoking movement

Only a nicotine addict would say that smokers are more interesting and sociable people than non smokers or reformed smokers. Perhaps they’re living in denial of a habit that’s undoubtedly going to send them to an early grave if they choose to continue. To protect themselves, they have become masters of justifiable excuses. These rationalizations allow them puff away around others without feelings of shame, remorse or guilt to what has now become a damaging and extremely ‘antisocial’ habit

What smoking does do is bring a diverse group of people together in allocated smoking areas. Many of these people would not normally mingle if it weren’t for their common addiction to nicotine. We’ve all spotted them as we walk down the high street or drive by the industrial estates. Managers, menial workers, office staff, and CEO’s, can all be seen huddled together in sheltered doorways. Building entrances have become the designated smoking zones of the twenty first century. It’s a sad sight that’s for sure, yet these all-weather puffers are convinced that they are the socialites of society!

Some non-smokers think Smokers are more Fun!

Perhaps the opening paragraphs here are a bit harsh and biased. After running a small questioner for both smokers and non smokers, the results were pretty evenly mixed. One non-smoking waiter in a popular restaurant said that he’d sooner work in the smoking section of his bistro any day. According to him, the smokers are jollier, complain less, and leave far bigger tips than those in the non-smoking part of the establishment. The non smoking patrons, he says, are uptight, whine a lot, and are stingy with tips.

Another participant in the questionnaire said that cigarette smokers are a great laugh until something fun involves physical activity! “You soon see the smirks wiped off their faces then”, he jests! And another in defence of the non-smoker said that although his chain smoking brother-in-law was always the life and soul of any party, he’s not much fun to be around these days now that he suffers from emphysema. Now there’s a thought!

So are Smokers more Interesting & Outgoing? One lady thinks so, but she gave her reasons for her philosophy. “Smokers are often forgetting their matches or running out of lighter fuel. This means they are forced to ask complete strangers for a light. Over time, this builds up their confidence when interacting with individuals they don’t know, and as a result, being friendly and outgoing becomes natural to them.”

And finally, one of our participants said that smokers tend to be more relaxed due to the effects nicotine has on them. They also look forward to their cigarette breaks, and when folks have something to look forward to every couple of hours, it picks their mood up. Non-smokers have nothing to look forward in their working day other than the clock striking 5. As a result, they are generally more tense, grumpy, and discontented with their lot. He did go on to say though, that a smoker deprived of his regular nicotine fix for whatever reason, is to be avoided like the plague.

So there we have it. There are augments for and against the motion. But even if smokers are in general a happy, friendly, outgoing bunch, one can’t but ask, at what cost!