Shopping centres allowing smoking at entrances

[ufo_investigations]

We all know what the effects of passive smoking are and yet in 2013 you can't access any major shopping centre entrance without passing through cigarette smoke.

Today, at a major shopping centre in Melbourne we endured cigarette smoke whilst entering and leaving the complex. A cigarette tray was affixed next to a doorway (supplied by the shopping centre). This was 1 metre away from a doorway and 1 metre away from a pedestrian zebra crossing which leads to the entrance. How ridiculous is this?  Young children, pregnant women and elderly use the crossing to enter the complex including my wife and I. Shopping centres are private property and they can ban smoking on their land if they want to but they have not. Why not?

50 metres away there was a childrens playground with smoking permitted on the fenceline. How ridiculous is this?

The sign read "No smoking within 5 metres".   Which means smoking is permitted as much you like after 5 metres. Guess what? The fenceline of the playground is after the 5 metres. Silly or what?

Next time you visit your shopping centre please observe these silly ashtrays next to doorways and make yourself heard. I have reported this to centre management and will continue to do so until it is changed. Please do the same.

[margomeoz]

That is my point though Marina.

Why would any non smokers want to drink coffee at that particular shop and why would smokers who enjoy a coffee and a smoke want to drink coffee anywhere else.

There are so many, almost all in fact where you can't sit outside and smoke with your coffee, why would a non smoker begrudge a smoker this one little shop they can enjoy a smoke and coffee in peace.

As freddie said it is still legal.

[freddie*rooster]

I'm not a smoker, I gave up about 8 yrs ago, but I respect the right of a person who is smoking whilst ever it is legal. I also understand if I don't like what goes on around me I can remove myself from what ever it it is that bothers me.

[margomeoz]

Has anyone ever noticed it is mostly reformed smokers who make the most fuss about smokers and their habits?

My husband has never smoked nor have many of my friends and those friends always have an ash tray for me to smoke on their balconys or in their yards.

I have other friends who did smoke and they do nothing but whine about my smoking, to the point I have made most of them ex friends.

[just_me_karen]

I just arrived home from the supermarket. After I'd done my shopping I wanted a ciggie, so I sat on the lawn...then I remembered this thread and moved to the comfortable seats outside the supermarket door where management has kindly provided ashtrays 😄

I kept my eye on everyone walking past in case they keeled over from an asthma attack, but nothing happened. A teenager tried to bludge a smoke but I said no...he nearly made me keel over because he was slathered in his Christmas Lynx. Gee that stuff is smelly!

[the_hawk*]

perhaps I should carry a can of Lynx and spray it at all the people smoking in the door ways

[freddie*rooster]

Muffin tops make me want to throw up, but who am I to judge what people wear.

[cherry*135]

A person with a muffin-top, wearing loads of cheap spray on deodorant standing near a supermarket entrance smoking.. would get lots of dirty looks from passerbys.

[small_creeps_friend]

Sorry you couldn't fit through the gap. 😞

[nevillesdaughter]

Only if they were heavily tattooed, very overweight, pushing a stroller and weren't wearing shoes surely?

Marina.

[***super_nova***]

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@am*3 wrote:

I can't stand cigarette smoke. People walking by with a lot of perfume on doesn't bother me (Cheap body/deodarant spray, sprayed in my vicinity does affect me).

There are laws for where you can smoke or not (extended ones introduced in NSW, beg Jan 2013), there aren't  any laws saying you can't wear perfume in public. Do you think it would ever be likely that there will be laws for that one day?

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Since my radiation treatment almost 20 years ago I find smoke extremely irritating to my lungs; smoke burns as I breath it in.  I did have asthma in the past but have not had an attack for a very long time.  Smoke, any smoke (including inscence) has components that are not good for people, especially small children.  I also find smokers' smell quite revolting, but that is different matter, it just unpleasant - just like I find smell of dog bleep unpleasant.

I never felt irritation in my lungs by breathing near person who is wearing lot of perfume.  If there is something in some perfumes & other sprays that people with  asthma find irritating, then maybe there should be some regulation about these particular ingredients. 

of-course, car exhaust fumes are not healthy, and we should be trying to reduce all pollution, but that has nothing to do with smokers forcing rest of the community to breath their smoke.  In any case, breathing all unhealthy substances in cumulative, and while we cannot easily reduce the exhaust fumes, unless we encourage people using less cars or make electric cars more viable, we can limit the amount of cigarette smoke people are subjected to.

Considering that smoking related diseases cost the government more than they get from the taxes, I cannot see any problem with government taxing cigarettes as much as they do.