You know - I actually got in an argument with my roommate the other day (he smoked but quit... smoked for maybe 1 year...).
He was telling me how glad he was that he doesn't smoke anymore, and I agreed. I started telling him about how the entire summer, all of my friends at home (many of whom smoke ENDLESSLY and have for YEARS) will refuse not to smoke when I'm in a vehicle with them...
I prefaced my comment as follows...
I stated that if they want to smoke, that's on them, I think it's incredibly stupid, but it's their prerogative.
I just don't want to be subjected to it... So given that these friends are AWARE of my total aversion to cigarettes, and they offer to drive to a common destination, I expect them NOT to smoke when I'm in the car, because if they express that they want to do it - I would DRIVE MY OWN CAR!
Everytime I get a whiff of that shit for more than 30 seconds I get this strange terrible sensation akin to a dull headache. The scenery around me becomes all gray and daunting. Like the world is dying. (Not literally of course - but that's how it shifts my mood...).
You can't win either. Front seat? You still smell it.
Back seat - Even worse. There's no winning. Windows closed - worst case scenario.
Front window open? Some of it still leaks back. Front + Back windows open? Out one window, right back in through the other.
Don't put me in a situation where I can't escape it!
My roommate actually had the GALL to get all pissy and tell me that I have no right to get mad about it since I got in the car....
He would not concede when I explained that they KNEW I hated it, and if I knew they would do it I would DRIVE my own car...
Needless to say I've realized they can't help it (they can but they're lazy and don't seem to want to help themselves.)
One of these friends actually told me with a straight face when I brought up the prospect of lung cancer, that he "measures life not by longevity but by happiness."
Meanwhile the fucker is sitting there endlessly coughing up a storm (painfully, I might add)
Well, I bring this cancer risk up, and how I'd like not to be subjected to it, and my roommate retorts that I'm a hypocrite because I'll have the occasional cigar...
I go MONTHS without cigars... I would go longer if that SAME friend didn't always want to go to the cigar lounge (but he won't go to a nice restaurant because it's too expensive - the fucker's got more money than me anyway - I don't complain....)
The conversation actually ended with me apologizing... can you believe that SHIT!? I usually argue until the very end, but with this guy I just can't do it! We've never seen eye to eye and I feel like the relationship is borne from necessity rather than a natural friendship but... damn.
So yeah I hate cigarettes.