As a smoker, I know it’s bad for me. I know it’s bad for you. I know it’s a filthy, dirty habit, but I try to be responsible about where I smoke and do my best to not offend. That being said, sometimes enough is enough.
I hit my limit this past week on a trip to Sedona, Arizona. If you’ve never been, Sedona is a gorgeous small city home to red rocks, spiritual vortexes and beautiful state parks.
No smoking in Sedona
Unfortunately, Sedona (like much of the world) hates smokers. HATES them.
One of the coolest things to see and do in Sedona is visit Slide Rock Park, a large national park full of rivers you can slide down and lots of natural beauty. But you can’t smoke, anywhere (BUT I’M OUTSIDE!!!!).
Sitting outside at a restaurant? Can’t smoke. Even our goddamned cheap motel made us sign a paper saying that if they so much as catch us smoking in the PARKING LOT, they will “extinguish” us and charge us $300.
For reals?
Which leads me to a greater point: Smokers get flack A LOT.
Sure, there are places in the world where smoking is the norm (and non-smokers get funny looks) but in the whole of the Western world, dirty smokers like me are constantly being told where we can and can’t be and sometimes I get sick of it. And I know I’m not alone. I’ve met hundreds of scorned smokers like me, and we’ve bonded as only outcasts can while smoking in the alleyways of nicer towns.
We know not to smoke on planes. We know that secondhand smoke is a killer. Hell, we know we’re dying as we puff this. But seriously.. is it absolutely necessary to make me feel so ashamed of smoking that I’m literally hiding on the side of the parking lot or running into the street to get a puff?
Answer me that, Sedona!!
Truth is, it’s not just Sedona. There are thousands of towns all over the world that have crazy bans on smoking. Can you name some others?
….. SIDENOTE: I have recently quit smoking. It’s been 6 days. So, way to go Sedona. I guess……
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
I was beyond thrilled when my town of Lexington, KY banned smoking in restaurants a few years ago. Ah, the joy of sitting and eating without smoke billowing over from the smoking area! Now, when we are traveling and they ask “smoking or non-smoking”, we are always shocked. We recently went for frozen yogurt and were eating it outside when some guy lit up and proceeded to ruin our experience. Sorry, but I wish smoking was banned EVERYWHERE.
Almost everywhere in LA has banned smoking outside in public places. They used to allow smoking in bars but not anymore. I’m actually not sure where you could smoke here! Glad to hear you gave it up- will save you money, right?!
Right? I forgot about that! You can’t even smoke on the beach in parts of LA ! Craaazy.
You see, this is exactly what I’m talking about! I get where you’re coming from Jan, but couldn’t you just have moved away? Did it have to ruin your whole experience? You were eating outside! Smokers should be more responsible and do their part not to overwhelm others with smoke (i used to), but shouldn’t everyone be more tolerant of the fact that smokers are people who enjoy frozen yogurt too?
Keep it up. Good luck!
good luck!! keep it up! 🙂
I´m with you Kelly. A lot of the time anti-smoking rhetoric is raised to the point of hysteria. I´m an ex-smoker and I make a particular point of not being sanctimonious about it. In outdoor settings it makes absolutely no sense to legislate at all. If you can´t share the wide outdoors with smokers then the problem is your attitude, not second hand smoke.
In the long run, I firmly believe that sanctimony is a lot worse for our general well-being than fleeting exposure to second hand smoke in the breeze…
Can’t we all just get along! I have to say I honestly HATE going to bars and restaurants that allow smoking (I’m a non-smoker) because I hate the smell. My MIL has a lung condition that makes it very difficult for her to breathe around smoke, last weekend we were laying on the beach next to people who were chain smoking all afternoon. She basically spent the whole afternoon standing in the water trying to avoid their smoke– I wish she had spoken up– I’m sure we could have found a happy medium.
I love that I don’t have to run into smoke living in CA! The only way to smoke outside and not have it affect others is if you are all by yourself. I can’t just walk away because the smell comes with me. Sorry but I don’t have any compassion for the smokers side of this issue.
Gosh, I can only imagine how much of pain I would be in if I visited Sedona. A bad habit is the right word as I have been trying to quit for the last 10 years. They say cold turkey is the best but I cannot seem to do that. I managed to stop drinking alcohol for 5 years once 🙂
I’m strongly in the camp that smoking shouldn’t be allowed in the outdoor seating areas of restaurants. I’ve gone there to enjoy my meal, which I can’t do because now all I can smell is cigarette smoke. And even more importantly, second-hand smoking kills people! I would prefer not to breathe in cigarette smoke because it’s seriously bad for my lungs, and I shouldn’t have to get up and leave a restaurant because someone there wants to smoke a cigarette. In that case, why can’t the smoker wait until the end of their meal to have a cigarette instead of subjecting everyone else to a known carcinogen? I know my reaction is strong, but that seems selfish to me.
I live in South Florida and visit our beautiful beaches daily. The beaches and swamps are Florida’s parks, and Florida has huge ongoing problems with cigarette butt litter. Cigarette butts are the number one litter item on Florida beaches. Our normal beach clean-up is not able to sweep the entire beach for cigarette butts. Similarly, when visiting in AZ, I hate hiking in a beautiful park, only to encounter cigarette butts along the trails, at overlooks, rest stops, arroyos and swimming holes. I’m disappointed in the priorities of the Go! Girl travel blog. I will definitely not use your guides.
You know, I can understand that. You’re eating.. it’s not always the best combination. I try my hardest not to offend when smoking (at least I did when I was smoking)
You are correct–smokers are the world’s worst in terms of litter. As for Go! Girl, you’re on the wrong blog. Sorry you feel that way!
Well there goes my plans to travel in the US this year. Thank you for the advice, I will now try to find somewhere in the world that welcomes all and treats adults as adults who can manage their own affairs. The lady down the beach, who apparently had to stand in the water all day to avoid the smoke? Why didn’t you just move upwind? For the record I no longer donate to any charity that discriminates against smokers – sporting charities and surf lifesaving to name a couple, as smokers are not welcome in their domains (and they are pround of it). Not to mention all the medical research charities, who then use donations to fund hate campaigns against smokers instead of finding cures and a safe cigarette for those like me who do not want to be told to quit so won’t. Now my tourist dollars will also be more wisely spent.
As non-smoking stroke survivor, I cannot tolerate smokers. Some are extremely rude, obnoxious and do not care about others health or well being. People n my apartment building smoke outside on the front porch and the sickening smell wafts into my apartment. It drives me crazy! In the bronx ny, I notice that every other person is puffing on a sick stick. I am considering moving back into the south where the air is much better. There are smokers there too, but there is so much space that I was not affected by their ignorance. I did not have to fan my face to avoid the second hand smoke like I do here. I can only roll in my wheelchair with one hand and then I gotta stop to fan the air– It is preposturous. I can’t stand to ride the regular bus or train because when a smoker gets on you can smell them 10 feet away. The odor greets you before the person. They stink!!- The hair, the clothes, the skin- It all just stinks!!
It seems it should be left up to the establishment as to whether they want to allow smoking or not. Then there could be places that accommodate smokers as well as non-smokers and customers would have a choice. I think the arrogant smoke nazis that insist through government coercion that every business cater to their likes and dislikes infringe upon individual rights. Next, you won’t be able to paint a portrait or write a novel, or even utter any sort of politically incorrect statement. I guess I’m a little late to the party. We’re already at that point. Just wait until you’re banned from some activity that you enjoy because some do-gooder is doing you the service of keeping you from going to hell.
Screw Sedona and every town like it! Don’t let them win. I can’t stand smoke Nazis and the way they make it blatantly obvious they disapprove of what you’re doing with that look they give you like you’re dirt. Well you know what, f@#k it, from now on everyone who does something I don’t like e.g. if they’re fat, when they’re eating, they’re going to get that same look from me, if you’re caked in makeup and you’re pretending to be window shopping when really you’re looking at yourself, same look from me. If you can’t beat em, join em. This whole thing is turning people against each other. Smoking outside, fair enough, shoeing us in a naughty dirty smoker corner when outside = too far!!……wow, sorry, I don’t know what came over me there, i’ve obviously been keeping this bottled up inside.haha.
MAN U WATCH ANY OLD SHOWS OR MOVIES AND ……
EVERYONE SMOKED. GOD IT IS SO CRAZY. IT WAS HARD TO EVER SEE A NON SMOKER. I TOO BELIEVE OUTSIDE SMOKING NEEDS TO. FOR THE MOST PART SMOKERS ARE WAY TO INCONSIDERATE. THEY HATE THAT THE WORLD CANNOT TOLERATE THEM. ITS BECAUSE THERE WORLD HAS GOTTEN TINY. BY LAW U ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO SMOKE WITHIN 50-100FT OF ANY ENTRANCE. DO U THINK THESE JADED MALCONTENTS CARE? NOWAY. STAND RIGHT THERE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PASS WITHOUT NEEDING A LUNG TRANSPLANT. MOST TIMES ITS EMPLOYEES OF STORE , RESTAURANT , ETC. GOD EVEN HOSPITALS. I MEAN .|…..
{{{{{{{ RIGHT }}}}}} OUTSIDE THE DOORS. DAMN GO STAND BY THE DUMPSTER WITH THE TRASH AND FLIES. SORRY FOR THE ATTITUDE BUT THIS IS HOW THEIR ATTITUDE HAS BRUSHED OFF ON ME. NOT ALL SMOKERS . I GET IT BUT, ABSOLUTELY THE MAJORITY. THE BUY A PACK ( for like $ 10.00 )
CANT GET MORE THEN 5 FT OUTSIDE AND RIP THE PACK OPEN AND LIGHT UP. MAN THERE ARE SO MANY RITUALS THESE SMOKERS HAVE. ALL OF WHICH SHOULD NIT FALL ON NON SMOKERS. KILL URSELVES DONT INCLUDE NON SMOKERS. U DONT SEE SIGNS AT BALL PARKS ANYMORE OR RACE TRACKS OR EVEN ON THE STREET. BUT THEY HAVE ADS FOR 2-3 DIFFERENT BRANDS IN SPORTS ILLUSTRATED????
U NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS A NON SMOKING WORLD NOW. I don’t care HOW MANY NEW SMOKERS THERE ARE WHICH IS HILARIOUS. THEY DONT EVEN ALLOW SMOKING IN MOST PUBS IN IRELAND OR FRANCE. GET IT?????
WHY DO U SMOKERS HAVE TO PUT UR CAR WINNOWS DOWN WHEN U SMOKE? I WOULD THINK U WANG ALL THAT SMOKE. STOP GIVING IT TO US . SMOKERS REALLY ARE INCONSIDERATE. EAT UR FROZEN YOGURT IN UR CAR. OR GO FORBID DONT SMOKE AROUND PEOPLE. ITS UR NASTY, DISGUSTING HABIT DONT MAKE US PART OF IT. OR HEY I KNOW STOP SMOKING…… QUIT!!!!!!
SORRY TO SOUND SO LOUD AND NASTY. I JUST REALLY HATE THE HABIT.
PERSONALLY I HATE IT. BUT I DONT MEAN TO BE PERSONAL.