RVers share lots of common ground. But cigarette smoking in campgrounds splits the community down the middle every time. Whether you’re for it or not, it’s getting harder to light up a cigarette or cigar in campgrounds.
You may not be able to do this at your favorite campground. (Image: Pixabay)
Cigarette smoking in campgrounds is more restrictive than ever. Each year more campground smoking bans in RV parks become law. Many states also have clean air laws that restrict smoking in open spaces. Today, most smokers must keep their habit restricted to designated areas or face fines.
Sometimes the campground smoking bans are because of high wildfire danger, as in the case of Stage One Fire Restrictions in place each summer throughout Arizona’s Coconino and Kaibab National Forests. “For personal use of cigarette or other tobacco smoking medium when inside an enclosed vehicle or building, or in a developed recreational site in an area that is free of combustible materials and vegetation,” announced US Forest Service officials.
Cigarette smoking in campgrounds is hotly debated, often restricted
But most times, wildfire prevention tactics take a back seat to personal feelings about the subject. A good example is the “Observations about Camp Hosting” discussion in the iRV2 Discussion Forums. In it, an iRV2 member new to camp host work shared his observations about camp hosting. His feedback about people who enjoy smoking in campgrounds ignited passionate arguments for and against the activity.
Cigarette smokers seem to be sloppy campers. Invariably the sites that needed the most cleaning after campers have left were sites where there were smokers. — Observations about Camp Hosting
Of all the observations about camp hosting he shared, the above insights about smokers created the most passionate responses. 5D Canonman said “We too find that in general smokers tend to treat the whole outdoors as their personal ashtray,” while 96 Wideglide argued “Don’t lump everyone who smokes and/or drinks, into one group.”
Similar passionate responses about lighting up are in an iRV2 discussion about cigar smoking in campgrounds. This debate is filled with interesting reasons for and against the freedom to light up. In it, iRV2 member Cbones shares an incident at a campground. A next door neighbor asked he three cigar-smoking friends to put out their expensive cigars.
He stated that he likes to be able to camp with his windows open, and he should not have to smell our smoke. — Cigar Smoking
The incident lit up the discussion boards and evoked a ten page debate about cigars, cigarettes and personal freedom. In it, iRV2 member Blag bravely shared his own feelings. “I’m sure a lot of people like to go camping to get closer to nature and immerse themselves in the sensory side of it. The smell of cigar smoke drifting through the campsite doesn’t fit in that scene,” he said. In response, clyon51 retaliated with “The open air seems to be the only place one can smoke anymore, I’m certainly not giving up that right under any conditions.”
Every RVer will encounter a smoking neighbor at some point
Many others aren’t giving up their smoking habit either. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that “smoking has declined from nearly 21 of every 100 adults (20.9%) in 2005 to about 15 of every 100 adults (15.1%).” Tobacco use is down, but the debate isn’t going away any time soon. “An estimated 36.5 million adults in the United States currently smoke cigarettes,” the CDC writes. Chances are good that every RVer will encounter a smoking neighbor at some point in their travels. How each situation is handled by both parties determines the cohesiveness or division of the community itself.
Rene Agredano and her husband, Jim Nelson, became full-time RVers in 2007 and have been touring the country ever since. In her blog, Rene chronicles the ins and outs of the full-timing life and brings readers along to meet the fascinating people and amazing places they visit on the road. Her road trip adventures are chronicled in her blog at LiveWorkDream.com.
I underst and that people smoke. However we are living in a small area, on a small tiny piece of land. There’s no other part of our house that we can go to to escape the smoke. And it stinks. We are often bothered by very Smokey campfires especially ones that have plastic or wax cups in them. We just need to be thoughtful and considerate of one another. All the smoke is not good for the children.
I agree smokers are sloppy and rude. They toss their s,moked butts where ever they
happen to be when done. I often walk into our school after a night event and see butts
all stepped on right in front of the door where I have to enter. That is disgusting And
they have no respect for others. Cigarettes smell horrible and cigars are even worse. So
why do people insist on smoking and bothering other people. We would not go near
your ca,mp area and put some smelly substance in your nose. So why do you feel you have the
right to smoke and bother others. Second hand smoke is just as bad as smoking. So in
other words you are killing not only yourself but anyone around you.
Well said, especially about throwing cigarette butts on the ground.
No different than a camp fire . You want those made illegal also ?
Different than a campfire. Most people like the smell of a campfire, provided it’s not burning plastic. Most people do NOT like the smell of cigarette smoke. And yes, poorly operated campfires (burning green wood, etc.) are nasty to everyone around.
By the way, campfire smoke is very unhealthy. It contains tiny particles that your lungs cannot get rid of, and which are carcinogens. Not the healthiest place to hang out on a regular basis.
Yes – some of the same chemicals are released from both campfires and cigarettes and studies have shown 10 minutes of campfire smoke = 30 (that’s 30) cigarettes. Think about that. Everyone sitting around the campfire inhales the same thing. Smoking is smoking.
Yes campfires and smoking are bad for you. We would love to RV, but where can we go with a large family that we can avoid both? While boondocking is an option, still, with so many kids, we would prefer to have hookups and some activities at a campground for the kids. Add in our entire family is allergic and some of us have asthma as well, any type of smoke near us can have devastating consequences, so what can people like us do besides just stay home. I would pay a premium to have a spot just so we too can experience the great outdoors in fresh air.
I used to be a smoker until I got pneumococcal pneumonia. It was misdiagnosed by an emergency room doctor and a private physician and it turned into sepsis. By the time I was finally admitted to the hospital I was almost dead. I was in a coma for over a month. They left the tubes in me for 20 days, 21 is illegal, causing irreparable damage to my airway. Due to my airway being the size of a coffee stirrer from the scar tissue and a paralyzed open vocal cord I need oxygen to walk and sleep. I can sit without it unless I am in high altitude mountains like in Colorado and then I need continuous oxygen. I never left cigarette buts anywhere outside or threw them out my car window. Our campground sites were always cleaner when we left then when we arrived. My boyfriend still smokes. No matter where we are camping, he cleans our campsite and picks up other people’s garbage even all over the campground. He offers to blow leaves off other camper’s sites so snakes cannot sneak up on them disguised by fallen leaves. We have 4 very well-behaved dogs and pick up after them. Often other campers let their dogs poop all over the campground including our site and never pick it up. Normally whoever is camping next to us becomes our friends very quickly. Kids often come to pet our dogs and even want to take them for walks. Other people smoking does not bother me.at all. We even keep in touch with campers we have met on the road and plan trips to meet them again when we are going to the same places. If people smoke outside it disappears into the air not into my airway. Nor does smoke from smoking or fires ever come into our trailer. And I would know right away because I would not be able to breathe at all if smoke got into my narrow airway. If we are sitting by the fire and smoke starts to blow my way I have to get up quickly and move. But I can still sit around the fires. Point is that people who like to complain will complain about anything and everything and try to make everyone’s life around them miserable. Get over it. Life is short. I should be dead already. I will not waste my time complaining about other peoples habits especially when you are only next to them for a little while and then they are gone forever. We try to get along with everyone and be kind and considerate. We find that most campers are kind and considerate as well but if they are not we will just never make plans to meet up with them again and we go on our merry way taking just the good memories along with us.
Smelling a stinking cigar from your neighbour is no different than them burning garbage…. and parks don’t allow that!
Au contraire. Your olfactory sense may need cultivating. The only one I suspect that smokes garbage cigars is the devil. Perhaps you should be more discriminating in your neighbors.
Haaa!!! Good one!!! I like you!
This smoking band is wrong ..you can get drunk or use drugs but no smoking anywhere. I only smoke in outside areas that are away from non smokers but now no areas are aloud. If you can catch virus from less than 6 ft then surely my second hand smoke will not kill or injure anyone at 15 to 20 ft. And campfire smoke is just as bad if not worse on everyone.
It is true that generally speaking smokers couldn’t care less of the effect their smoking has on the people around them. I often see smokers throw their cigarette butts out the windows of their car or empty their ashtray on the pavement of parking lots or street curbs. In campgrounds, if a smoker flics his cigarette to the ground, (which by the way they might do without realizing they are doing it because it is a habit), this, I am certain is one of the causes why there are so many wild fires in the US.
Any different than someone running their smelly rv, generator, etc i am not a smoker. next they won’t be able to smoke on the beach
Already the case in some enlightened countries
Stupid argument
Live and Let Live
Campfires, cigars
WTF
You can’t smoke on beach or just about anywhere. I am a smoker but I was trying to obey rules about outside etc but now no where. Virus is more deadly that my second hand smoke outside. And campfires and even emissions from vehicles and you can drink use drugs but no smoking anywhere. Sorry it’s wrong.
Nothing is much worse then sitting out, enjoying fresh air then someone lighting up and having to smell the stench. We have a couple chain smokers in our normal seasonal CG. Luckily they are usually downwind but occasionally the wind shifts so we go inside. What make it even worse is that you know what may happen to them – they are nice people – especially after seeing both parents die from heavy smoking (my smoking was only 2nd hand from them as I never indulged)
Tired of people ‘piling on or stereotyping people. In our camping group we have smokers, drinkers and pet owners. When we leave, the sites are usually cleaner than when we pulled in. We are also a quiet group. Do you ever play your outside stereo loudly? Maybe I don’t care for your taste in music. Do you let your fur babies bark excessively and leave poop wherever it falls? Do your children run wild across other camper’s sites? Can I hear your foul mouth and loud drunken party from the other side of the campground? Even smoke from campfires when it goes directly into your neighbor’s windows can be an issue-especially if they have allergies. Maybe you are perfect and never encroach on your fellow campers enjoyment of the outdoors. If so, wonderful and it would be great if everyone was like you. Otherwise, just hush and quit looking for reasons to complain about your fellow campers. If you are truly bothered, reserve a site without water, sewer etc. Those sites are usually sparsely populated and you won’t have to be bothered by the rest of us imperfect humans. Although I’m not sure what your topics of conversation will be without us. ????
Love your comments, Everyone has some “objectionable” habit. For heaven’s sake, if you are perfect, cut other people a little slack.
Well said! As a host in a campground for many years I do NOT find that smokers are rude and sloppy. However, we may have to pick out butts from the fire pit but not usually anywhere else. I’m getting really tired of the Big Brother attitudes that are coming about by state laws/rules. And yes, campfire smoke night after night will take just as hard a toll on your lungs as smoking.
Yes and since they no longer have a container to put butts in more people do throw on ground. I have been on all 3 sides of this issue yes it smells but so does booze etc. This law is wrong.. Give smokers a place to smoke .. I am the only person I am maybe hurting outside.. Inside yes second hand smoke is bad.
Thank you for your comment. I have and will now and then pick up smoking when camping. Why? I have no reason to, but I do enjoy it when camping along with a camp fire. I have always put the butts in the fire pit along with those left by others. We are all human and have down falls, Some worse than others. But we all love the out doors. Just sit back an enjoy your time on this earth, And let them enjoy there’s.
I agree Michelle. I would only ask one thing of you when smoking in your campsite. That is to only put you butts in the fire pit when it has a fire. Otherwise use an ash tray or some other container so that we hosts don’t have to pick them out after you leave. Thanks.
Typical answer. Some other people indulge in anti-social behaviors so I should have the “right” to indulge in my anti-social behaviors. If I am camped next to you and am annoyed by your smoking is it OK for me to annoy you with some behavior you dislike? If you have the attitude, “If you don’t like my smoking, move,” is it OK for me to have the attitude, “If you don’t like my barking dogs, move”? True, not all smokers leave messy campsites. True also, only smokers leave campsites strewn with butts, I know “good” smokers who don’t toss their butts willy-nilly and even move so their smoke won’t bother anyone down wind of them. I also know “bad” smoker who don’t give a damn for their surroundings or for whomever may be downwind of them. If the “good” smokers would protest against the “bad” smokers instead of against the rules brought on by the “bad” smokers there might be fewer “bad” smokers resulting in fewer anti-smoking rules.
Bottom line – If everyone behaved in a manner so as to not bring discomfort to those around them there would be no need for restrictive rules. If all smokers indulged in their habit an a way that didn’t annoy their fellow campers there would be no need for rules against smoking. So, all you “good” smokers out there, do not come to the defense of the “bad” smokers. Complain about them just as you would complain about “bad” pet owners or loud music players.
Well said Wil!!! We run across way more yappy little RV dogs than we do inconsiderate smokers!!! We just turn a deaf ear, pun intended!!
Amen!! If you can’t say something nice, then just hush!!
I don’t smoke, but it doesn’t bother me if someone lights up nearby. Tobacco smoke is a lot less objectionable than an eye-burning smoldering pile of wet stinkwood that some call a campfire.
Absolutely spot on – thank you. I smoke, use a bottle with water for ashes and butts and I pay attention to open RV windows, move to the other side of mine, and before I leave I pick up everyone elses butts and other ditrious they keave behind (except dog poop). Point being there ARE responsible smokers out here. I say if you ban cigarettes, ban campfires too – smoke is snoke, it all will kill you and your children given enough tine.
Thank you for your consideration. If all smoking aficionados exhibited the your consideration we would all be “Happy Campers”.
Agreed, thank you for being considerate. Most smokers I’ve met are quite considerate, and I would bet almost all would quit if they found an easy way to do so. Quitting after 26 years of smoking was one of the hardest things I’ve done in my entire life – blessed with 20 smoke-free years so far!
If I were still smoking, I’d try vaping. I did chew nicotine gum for two years before I was able to give up the nicotine. One of nature’s most addictive drugs.
Whew I do smoke I am a considerate smoker.but now the new rules are just wrong. Vaping is worse no dipping now either. But people can get drunk and whatever and in front of kids. Just give us smokers and separate area and outside. 15 ft away will not kill anyone but maybe the smoker. I have been on all 3 sides of this issue.
I don’t smoke, but it doesn’t bother me if someone lights up nearby. Tobacco smoke is a lot less objectionable than an eye-burning smoldering pile of wet stinkwood that some call a campfire. Just pick up those ciggie butts and we cool.
Agreed. I don’t smoke, either, but don’t begrudge others their vices. I have a few of my own!
Isn’t time you “STOP CRYING’
As a long time former campground host I concurr, smokers are slobs. What must be understood is that their addiction can be deadly to others. Barking dogs do not cause lung cancer, second hand smoke does. Further I take life saving meds which make me highly sensitive to cigarette smoke. Why should I be deprived for another’s adiction?
This is your opinion, not all smokers are slobs!! And barking dogs can make one’s blood pressure go high and what about their poop they don’t clean up? There are always two sides to a story!!
Smoldering campfire smoke will kill you too – smoke is smoke. I started smoking again because I couldn’t stand the smoldering campfire smoke, often coming from camphost sites. Still can’t. If there is a ban, ban ALL smoke! Afterall we are not cavemen who have to cook over a fire!! I will gladly give up my cigarettes if you give up your campfire. BTW – I am NOT a slob, I pick up everything but dog poop in every site I use and my ashes and butts go into a bottle with water. Please do not generalize.
I really don’t mind the smokers.. It would be great though if they treated there butts as litter which is what they are. We camp host in our state parks and we spend a good part of our time each day picking up butts in the campsites.
All I ask is that everyone pick up after themselves (ie cigarette butts, dog poo, bagged dog poo, shorts in a tree, carcass of what ever animal they grilled, fire still smoking though they left, the tubes and pool noodles..) and be considerate of others.
I am so sorry that you spend so much time picking up cigarette butts, truly. I recently started smoking again and I always use a bottle with water to contain ashes and butts. I’m doing my best out here to help you – I pick up everyone elses cigarette butts in my site before I leave. In fact, I pick up everything but dog poop. Thank you for taking care of things.
Liz,
I wish you luck in successfully quitting again. Does vaping work? I chewed nicotine gum for two years before finally giving that up at my wife’s insistence. I could see that my breathing was going to slowly get worse, never better. And the physical activities I enjoyed were becoming more difficult.
First, I do not smoke I quit about 27 years ago and no one smokes in my home. Having said that, I just have a hard time with all of these self-righteous wimps who find it so easy to impose their beliefs on others. This is the same kind of idiocy that bans smoking on a wind-swept beach because some people want to pretend that they can smell a cigarette from 20 yards away and that their health will be ruined. Sad how the people are now a bunch of panty waisted whiners with a condescending false sense of superiority.
I smoked for 40+ years (quit 9 years ago), and i TOTALY agree with you. In my younger years we did
a lot of backpacking. I carried my “Butts” in my pocket and burned them in the fire that evening. It’s funny
that I would get upset at all the RV/Trailer campers who “boondocked” with their generators, inverters, TV’s
cell phones, liquor, chain saws etc.
I guess I’m one of those “whinners.” Never smoked but all family members did. Several co-office workers too. I’m only hoping 2nd hand smoke doesn’t kill me,. Lung cancer killed both parents. And yes, I can smell it from 20 FEET away. Keep it in your own house or RV.
I also can smell from far away too, but I as well as my husband and 6 kids are allergic, to all kinds of smoke, flairs up our asthma too.. So in our case, we have yet to RV. We want to, but are concerned. I dont think I would be fussy as I am if our entire family was not so dangerously affected. We also have other allergies to things too and avoid those triggers as well…any smoke is bad because it could kill us. My youngest son as well as myself has had breathing attacks that landed us in the ER. I almost died a few times. I believe strongly in living life, and letting others do the same. I wish campgrounds just created an area that was smoke free like hotels…I would pay a premium price and be fine with being parked in less desirable campsites, just to have the peace of mind.
Have you considered staying home. There you can control your environment just the way you like it. Sounds like you and your family will be uncomfortable anywhere else.
Smoking is a filthy, disgusting habit practiced by ignorant, inconsiderate people.
I mean that in the nicest possible way.
I am sure you mean it in the nicest way and I am sure you didn’t mean to come across as a narrow-minded bigot.
There is nothing nice at all about your comment. Although I would definitely fire it back at you as a statement sbout campfire smoke. Smoke is smoke – it ALL kills. Educate yourself.
Non smokers are out of their minds. Completely out of touch with reality. Anti smoking propaganda is being pushed by the liberal media and the terrorist organization the AMA.
Serious pollution is caused by automobiles. coal fired steam plants, and factories.
Seems everyone now days wants to protest or complain about something. Why don`t these people get a job and get off the streets.
Cities that have a serious smog problem got that way because of automobile traffic. Big trucks and diesel trucks pollute millions and millions of times MORE than someone smoking outside.
Remember, when you pull your rig into a campground, think of how much you are polluting the area with your diesel truck or big gas hog.
IMHO. non smokers thinking is seriously flawed.
I have been in RV parks where I cannot open my windows because smokers seem to love to sit under my windows (a few feet away) and smoke. I don’t smoke and really don’t like smoke in my trailer. In addition, I have asthma depending on the air I am breathing and find myself coughing when the neighbors smoke. I also hate walking behind someone who is smoking, because I get just as much smoke as the smokers do (that is how it feels).
If you wish to smoke you have two choices (besides smoking when there is no one around). 1) Put a plastic bag over your head and smoke in there or 2) smoke in your trailer with all sources of venting closed so no smoke goes elsewhere.
@ ed warwick – I totally agree with you, and what you said. – One thing you left out is the fact that they are all whining, and crying about the personal habit of smoking cigarettes, cigars, and pipes in not only homes, around children, outside in public, as well as in public places, and are insisting upon pushing for the nation wide ban upon the use of such items. But in the same regard, they are all in love with the personal habitual use of, and the smoking of Marijuana in not only homes, around children, outside in public, as well as in public places and not only do they not moan, groan, complain, or say anything about it and people using it, but they condone it as well. They have already passed laws in a lot of states to allow the use and smoking of Marijuana in all those areas and are continuously pushing for even more states to do the same. That is a fact. Even upon here, and in these comment sections. They are basically all moaning, groaning, and complaining and voicing their personal opinion’s about the use and smoking of Cigarettes, etc. But not a one of them has moaned, groaned, complained or even said one word about the use, and smoking of Marijuana in those same places. In my opinion, what’s good for the gander is also good for the goose. If you can’t condone, and tolerate one and insist upon banning it, then don’t condone, and tolerate the other one either and ban it as well, or else shut up, and totally drop the matter pertaining to the first one. And don’t even start in upon what you personally think about how great you personally think Marijuana is compared to cigarettes as neither of them are any worse, or any better than the other one. But if I have my preference I would take cigarettes over that mind bending Marijuana any day of the week. At least cigarettes do not warp your mind out of shape like Marijuana does when you are smoking them, and you can continue on normally in doing everyday things compared to trying to do ordinary things while your mind is bent out of shape under the influence of Marijuana.
Ed,
Thanks for the laugh! I just KNEW it was a conspiracy! That AMA!
I totally agree with most of this comment. My headache is not the smoking in the campgrounds where we host . It’s the extra 15 to 30 minutes spent policing the campsite for cigarette butts. My question is why do they not consider the butts being litter. A good portion of the smokers use the fire pit and that is great because we use a shovel to clean them daily.
Gary V
Any statement that begins with “all smokers” shows horrible ignorance, for the only thing “all smokers” do is smoke. I hate that I smoke (though love the act, and there’s the rub) but that does not dictate how I think or behave. I am extremely sensitive to other campers yet often am irritated at their inconsideration to the environment or neighboring campers. Often they are non smokers but that is NOT correlated.
I have been taught to always leave an area better than I found it (thank you, Boy Scouts) and if ever I thoughtlessly discarded a butt it was too long ago to remember.
Some people’s children are loud and inconsiderate. Should all children be banned from campgrounds? Some drinkers are loud and offensive. No booze allowed? Music blaring, Barking, pooping dogs, ATV cowboys…?
Holier-than-thou attitudes and sweeping generalizations give political correctness a bad name and result in stifling, inhibitive laws penalizing all for the offenses of the few.
We are creating a society of restrictions, intolerance, and the ability to differentiate. As a result we’re strangling the very spirit that defined Americans.
“Holier-than-thou attitudes and sweeping generalizations give political correctness a bad name and result in stifling, inhibitive laws penalizing all for the offenses of the few.”
You’re putting the shoe on the wrong foot. It is the “offenses of the few” which result in the restrictions of all. Instead of ranting against “political correctness”, campaign for rules that target the few who commit the offenses and insist on their enforcement to eliminate the offensive from the campgrounds. If you are a “good” smoker (see my comments above) good for you. But don’t come to the defense of “bad” smokers. Campaign for targeted rules against “bad” smokers and insist that those rules be enforced. I am not a smoker, never have been, and I do know a few “good” smokers. But as long as “good” smokers come to the defense of “bad” smokers non-smokers will continue to campaign for blanket no-smoking rules.
The same, by the way, can be said of any and all potentially anti-social behaviors; barking dogs, loud music, burning garbage, etc.
I was puzzled by your interpretation of my comments.
I was NOT defending inconsiderate (bad) smokers. After reading my comments I’m confused as to how they could be misconstrued as such. I was, in fact distancing myself from them and arguing against blanket smoking bans.
Nor was I was “ranting” against political correctness (I suggest you revisit the definition of ranting). To the contrary, i am an advocate of social/personal sensitivities (political correctness) but sensitivity can escalate to hyper-sensitivity, resulting in a weakening of the original focus.
You also suggested I campaign for rules targeting the specific offenders. I thought it unnecessary to state that which I saw to be obvious, I’ll say it now: it is wrong to pollute the environment with smoke and butts and there should be punitive consequences if you do.
In summary, I was cautioning generalization of behavior and attitude of everyone who sticks a cigarette in their mouth. Stereotyping is ignorant and inappropriate no matter how you couch it.
I am a practicing advocate of responsible, considerate smoking (and drinking and dog-ownership…) and don’t want to be penalized nor mis-judged because of a segment of smokers who are not.
I’m tired of putting any more energy toward this defense in this venue. I have nothing left to add and can’t say it any clearer. Good luck to all and may we all follow the golden rule.
So agree. Every single campground offense should be dealt with, not just smoking. I do not RV, today but I grew up with my Dad taking us in one. I feel like, its always the few who wreck it for the majority.
If smokers can be responsible, be away from everyone, not smoke near someone elses window or door, smoke inside the trailer, pick up their butts, not toss them out of a moving car into traffic, not smoke near doors blocking people from exiting and entering buildings then if they want to smoke then go for it. I only complain when I can not avoid them due to my and my families health. Other then that, its their right to smoke.
Same with other issues…I have 6 kids….and while I love kids, obviously, my children have rules. They are in place for their benefit and safety, but also for the benefit of others. Not everyone desires to put up with kids. And they should not have to…..their right to peace…not my kids right to disturb others.
Then there is pets. I had pets in the past, but we also kept them leashed. Again, not everyone loves animals, in tight spaces like a campground, my pet would be leashed and outside only when I was out there too. And restricted to my campsite only. No further. And poop would be picked up. Not cool to have to step in a mess.
I had a neighbor, even with my fence, allow his dog to go around the fence pooping inches from my driveway and in my walking path on my property to the side of my backyard. He let his dog poop in dozens of spots ( in the front of the house also) for months never picking it up. I am not talking about one area, but dozens!!! It was so bad it was visible to all the neighbors who were so disgusted. They knew I did not have a dog as we all are now allergic, , yet it looked as if I did. Living in a neighborhood with an HOA, I could have been reported, the irony huh? Mind you, our yards were fairly big. Why did he do it? Not out of hate but distraction ( he had his head down in his phone while his dog was on his leash and paid no attention where his dog pooped) and also laziness. He gave no thought about it till we brought it up as our kids could no longer get to the backyard without hitting poop, nor could we walk out of our van, as gosh forbid if we went one inch on the side of our driveway, our shoes were covered. Not nice at all.
Then campfires, if campgrounds made a non smoking area for sensitive, allergic campers it would be a blessing. Campfires are beautiful but we recently were at one we thought may work as we are thinking of Rving in the future. Oh my gosh, their no longer was A campfire, it looked more like a wildfire situation with a blanket of smoke hovering so thick in the air that we could not see very far in front of us, even with the car lights on. Sooo many people had campfires, I wondered how anyone with a small child could be comfortable with their child breathing all that in? I am not talking about responsible camp fire people but again the minority who think hey, put in plastic, or burn junk….oh my. Why??
I mean the list is endless. Responsible majority, thank you for being considerate but those minority who are not that way…it wrecks it for everyone. Its a right to live how you wish, we dont need more rules, but less. If we ALL are considerate, no rules are necessary.
First sentence should read “Any statement that begins with OR IMPLIES”. Sorry, don’t know how to edit posted comments…
Smoking is not a right. It is an unhealthy habit that I don’t want to share with you. My right to breath clean air trumps your ‘right’ to smoke.
This issue makes me hostile.
These “I know how to live your life better than you” types have no problem taxing LEGAL tobacco products. Then they have the audacity to say, “you cannot smoke these products anywhere.”
When children are present, I always ask if it’s okay for me to smoke in close proximity to them. If someone asks me politely not to fire up my cigar, I won’t.
After my cigar is lit, I’m going to smoke it.
Challenge me and I’ll put it out on your face.
“When Children are present…” I am in my 80’s, not hardly a child, and am sensitive to tobacco smoke, especially cigar and pipe smoke. If you are five campsites upwind of me and light up your stogie I will be negatively effected. Why do you extend your courtesy only to children in close proximity? If you must smoke go inside your own camper/tent, close all the doors and windows, and and bask in the cloud of your own habit. You have no right to cause me to have to go inside with all doors and windows closed or abandon my campsite for the duration while you indulge your anti-social habits.
I do not know how to live your life better (for you) than you and I do not say you cannot smoke those products anywhere. I do know that you can smoke them in a place that will contain the smoke, lessen the discomfort of those anywhere near you (not just children in close proximity), and maybe even enhance you own enjoyment by concentrating the cloud around yourself. Sounds like a win-win to me.
I can think of many other more acceptable (to me anyway) ways to extinguish your stogie than the one you proposed.
Sounds to me like there is no such thing as a good smoker to you. Someone smoking a mile away and you get a whiff, do you scrunch your face up like a child and say “Ugh, how disgusting.” ? You and a bunch of others on here are way oversensitive about smelling some smoke now and then. You people make it sound like you are constantly surronded by chain smokers blowing it in your face. I guess in this P.C. age you feel justified in calling smoking anti-social behavior. Since when ? Same old self centered If you are old enough to remember when lots people smoked everywhere , I don’t know how you survived.
Will, I am allergic to people like you. So I suggest you don’t camp near me. Solves both of our problems.
I worked with a gentleman (and I use that word as snark) who was the only male in an accounting office that was all female. He decided to light up a nasty-smelling cigar and ignored all of us women who complained. I then took a cup of water to his desk and said “if you don’t put it out, I will with water.” Even though he was my supervisor, he put out the cigar. All of the women cheered.
If you are so incredibly selfish to ignore 20 people asking you to stop, you are not a very nice person. We weren’t asked, nor did we know he was going to light up until he had started smoking. If it was you, you already said you are going to continue smoking despite the complaints. I would hate to be around you at any time, since it appears you don’t give a d**n about anybody but yourself.
Steve,
Would you like me to stand upwind of you and pass gas?
Just another case of one group of people pushing their stuff on another group.
That’s true Gene. However, IMO, it’s long past the time for head cracking. Literally!
I don’t smoke or drink, but I would much rather be around a smoker than a drinker. At least the smoker doesn’t act like an idiot & isn’t going to kill me on the highways. Smoke doesn’t smell any worse than some of the stuff women wear.
I am so sick and tired of the people who insist that it is their right to pollute the air with cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke that the rest of us breath. There is proof beyond refute that second hand smoke is a carcinogen as is third hand smoke. It makes you wonder why so many pets are dying an early death to cancer. They pick up the third hand smoke off of furniture and carpets then clean their fur thus ingesting the smoke residue. As for second hand smoke, I should not have to deal with breathing in your filthy habit and have the smoke permeate my hair and clothing. I don’t know when people are going to wake up and realize that the cigarette producers are keeping people hooked on them by increasing the amount of nicotine in the cigarettes so that they keep the number of smokers that buy their product and also try to get young people addicted to their cig’s,, gotta keep the company profits from falling. And please just because the product is legal, doesn’t mean it is okay.
Please tell me what”third hand smoke” is. Does it mean that you inhale someones smoke then blow it on someone else? I quit smoking in 1983 and don’t really like the smell of cigarette smoke, and have always hated cigar smoke. The campers that have irritated me the most in my 19 years of camping are the guy that built his camp fire behind his trailer (about 10 feet from our bedroom) so he and his friends can get drunk, play music badly, and tell off colored jokes till 2:00 AM so the smoke didn’t get in his trailer. Also more irritating than smokers are the jerks that think everyone in the campground wants to hear their group of friends watch their team outside and yell at the top of their lungs at every play. My reaction to the first group was to request another site when I discovered that they would be there another week, and to the second, I knew that the game was going to end sometime and that they don’t play every night. People need to get over the notion that anything that annoys them must be dealt with immediately and to their complete satisfaction . Relax, enjoy what time you have and try to get along. Other peoples opinions may be the opposite of yours, but they have the right to have them.
They are addicts and they will behave like addicts. Cigarettes, heroin, meth. They are all addicts first, everything else second.
Almost every complaint above is non-existent when we boondock.
RV parks are a cesspool of discontent.
Am thinking boondocking is a great option in the end, if my family can not find safe places to park. To me, a serious asthma attack and watching my son with pnuemonia because of it, over and over again. To me, is no laughing matter. I also have asthma but its controlled moreso now that I am an adult. But a childs lungs are small, air is essential. Smoking is not.
WOW! Very different responses to the article. I don’t smoke, but I did 34 years ago when it was popular. I started smoking when I was 8 yrs of age but I quit when it started to cause health issues. I’m now 70, so I have some experience with the topic. I don’t smoke nor do I use my home fireplace. I do my best to avoid the smoke stream from smokers (cigarettes, cigar, pipe, or maryjane). I have asthma as well as sleep apnea which means I use a breathing machine at night. I drive motor vehicles which use fossil fuels and I put up with the smell. My stoves use gas so I can cook with a small amount of smoke and stench. Anymore I don’t even have a fire in the fireplace cause the smoke causes me to quit breathing.
Each of us has our own challenges. We must accept that others have their own vices, but we should all respect others in our campgrounds or along the road of life. For myself, I try to avoid the smoke since it causes my asthma to flair which means I have trouble breathing. Many times, I will set my camp site a bit away from others since I don’t like loud music at any time, but after 10:00 pm I only enjoy quiet music and quiet talking. I’ve been in campgrounds where people insist they should have loud music, shout and drink till almost dawn. I doubt many in this group would “enjoy” the noise. However, ear plugs do help.
The problem is that some of us have allergies and breathing issues that smoke of any kind aggravates whether it is from cigarettes, cigars or campfires. Please understand that I am not a grump looking to deprive you. I just need to breathe.
I am the same, breathing is essential, smoke is not.
It really does stink. If I stood upwind of you and continuously passed gas, I doubt you would appreciate it. Choose an alternative – gum, vaping, chew, whatever – or go to an area where you are sure you won’t bother others.
It’s just common courtesy. Your rights end at my nose.
I’ve seen a few propane setups for having a propane powered “campfire”. These are very nice to have, since you control the level of flame and you don’t usually need to worry about the adverse affects of smoke. The nice thing is you can make S’Mores without any problem. It’s just a little different, but if it works, use it.
I would agree with the non-smoker’s intolerance if they were talking about effects in an elevator or small room. Fact is, even downwind from a smoker, the amount of intake is very small. It is not continuous nor is it dense.
I have neighbors who fire guns and it drives me crazy sometimes. I have to remember it’s only moments a week and during “considerate” hours. Same with other neighbors dogs, loud cars, parties, etc.
If your desire is consistent, pristine air and idyllic onditions I suggest you find a place for from other people. If the standards are too exacting we’ll all be cowering in our campers listening to music on headphones with vents closed so neighbors can’t smell our Limburger cheese.
A related aside- I’ve smoked for decades but don’t smoke in my own house. I don’t ask guests if they mind. They can stay in the house and wait if they’re offended.