Sorry Tom but you seem to have made an obsession against smoking (or rather passive smoking)! The more you're freaking out about how much it could affect you and your family, the more smokers and their criminal behaviour you'll see around...everywhere!
Why don't you focus on the real great things when outside - your kid taking part in an athletic competition (congrats! I did that when I was in primary school and it's a wonderful feeling)
We all know that smoking is not healthy, we got that. I've been "smoking" (rather pretending to) only when I was very young because my friends thought it was "cool" and I wanted to try, why not.....but I don't smoke for quite some time now, not even that odd cigarette once in a while, so I'm not (potentially) defending my fellow smokers, be sure about that.
Just live and let live.

You're judging someone based on what's important to them. Tom and anyone else has a right to their opinions and they don't need to defend an opinion, only facts.

My angle on this is clear. Smoke in your own environment, not anywhere public. I'd limit it to places where you'd consider masturbation to be appropriate.

I've seen that on a train platform...

Isn't it a pain when your clothes get contaminated with the product of other people's vice? Even worse when it gets in your eyes.

I would think it would be a bit difficult to masturbate and smoke at the same time.

Maybe put that on my bucket list.

I, also have seen masturbation on trains and on the platform. Numerous times. Maybe seeing me smoking got their juices going.

When you start planning your day around it, Patsy, it's time to seek help...

I find it a bit sad when people find other people's behaviour to be important to them.

We know the world is populated by tossers, freaks and dickheads. There isn't much we can do about it, so why obsess about it?

I attract them like flies, like weird people on the bus!!

Oh, and the ones who ask for a cig!!

I'm really not obsessed by it.

I thought my observations on the smoking culture in Switzerland and why it's so different from other developed countries were valid and not something others had mentioned.

I thought this was a discussion forum?

Just because you and DB and les autres keep mentioning the phrase "Live and let live" on this forum doesn't necessarily mean it's applicable in every situation.

Les who?

You don't smoke, and do not like smoking around your family, that i understand and acknowlage.

I smoke, and i would never smoke around your family , jeez i might get my head lobbed off and put on a spike.

Over how many threads and responses have we gone through. For us adult smokers to have to say to you that it is not me that blows the smoke in your kids face.

But to come out with some crap about coming to live in Switzerland for the nice clean air and to be so traumatised by smokers is going a bit far...

If you cant hack it - go home to your little bubbles whereever they are..

In fact, where in the World would any of these people be able to live? Without smoke. Push your child in a buggy through any city in the world, he is inhaling all sorts. Have me, sitting ten metres away smoking a cigarette and blowing it up into the sky. I can blow double smoke rings - make toddlers befumbled every time...!!

I hear Washington state and Colorado has nice mountains - oh dear abit of smoke.. And probably more mellowing than my ex Benson and Hedges that you smelt from 500 metres.

I keep adding to the silly smoking and no smoking threads, because they amuse me. Your children will not become smokers, they will not die from eating a fag end, they will not die from a guy on a train platform smoking etc. Millions of non smokers, ex smokers and smokers live in harmony.

And i have had no complaints at all, sitting by the lake and drinking a cold one, for my smoking. And, today, i counted 5 smokers. Did anyone shout and have a hissy fit over the smoke, No. Each for their own. And enjoying the peace.

Something about that Jet D'Eau which is wonderful.... When i was there i smelt all sorts of ciggarettes.

My wife detests smoke more than I do. She's Swiss. Where should she go home to?

You're from Scotland with the lowest life expectancy in Western Europe due to diet and smoking.

I really don't think you need to preach to the Swiss, do you?

When (some) smokers say "smoking is a right" and they should be able to smoke wherever and whenever they want, well, excuse me, but this is just !#%$% up logic if I ever saw one, and this is what Tom is saying. You can't go around pretending your addiction is a right. By this logic, Nestle's claim that water is not a human right and they should be able to exploit the resource and sell it to you at whatever price they choose stands, 'cause "live and let live".

In addition to being addicts (is being an addict a right?), the fact is that smokers lose some of their ability to smell and taste - test yourself to see how much or read up on it and do some guesswork; but when non-smokers complain of the stench - fresh or stale , of course they don't get it! It is like asking a blind person to describe what a seeing person sees.

Asking people to leave the country when they don't agree to these kinds of "rights" is just childish.

These smoking threads always make me think of the old saying: " Water water everywhere and ne're the twain shall meet". Or is it "Many a Mickle makes a Muckle" Perhaps even " In trying times, try".

For example, my children met with all sorts of pitfalls that I considered not great. If one of them was skating on thin ice, I would do my best to remove that child from that particular danger as I saw it, with instructions, explaining that that could well be hazardous to your health,others may say, hey, let her sink or swim, me not, that's what a parent does, remove the child from danger.
If one of my other children was edging dangerously close to a cliff edge, i would steer that child in another direction with instructions explaining that that could well be hazardous to your health, others may say, he has to learn sometime.
Both opinions have merit, but as a parent, if I see a hazard or any other pitfall looming before my child, I will do my best to remove it from that current situation with, I hope, an understandable explanation as to why that thing/place, whatever may not be good for them, cos that's what parents do.

As an adult, if someone is talking to loudly/aggressively, acting in a strange manner putting me ill at ease, I will remove myself from that situation. Or if someone is brandishing a firearm in my near vicinity, I will take my little self out of harms way as soon as possible, because that's what adults do.

There are unreasonable people on this earth unfortunately, so when you encounter such people, just move yourself out of the firing line.

Fortunately, most people are reasonable and then there is the option to approach with a reasonable request for them to stop doing that (whatever that may be) or at least make it less disturbing for others.
If I feel it's that big a deal, I will most likely make a big deal back, maybe nothing will have changed but at least I will have tried and also my kids will see that I stand by my convictions.

What I don't do is, get all pissy because someone that I think is on the erring side also made their stand and won that particular scene. I won't live long enough to fix all the wrongs of this world, so sorry, you are all just going to have to sort them out for yourself, but please, do so in a decent manner, but I guess that is the hardest part.

Be well, smokers and non smokers alike.

I have lived here since 1973, so i am probably more f-ing swiss than you are boyo.

So, should i go back to Scotland and smoke myself to death. Or stay here, and breath in that lovely Fresh Swiss Air in between my cigarettes which legally i am allowed to smoke whereever and whenever... apart from restaurants.

I was trying to be nice, and you came out with the Scotland bit. Clap Clap - all Scottish people are fat and drink and smoke too much.

Sad, innit. Especially since i have an Irish Passport. Now there's another country with beautiful scenery and landscapes and fresh air and lots of smokers. Who, like me, respect non smokers.

Your argument is getting rather nasty against smokers. I do, and always have tried to respect non smokers.
But in the end, why should i? Give a bit, take a bit etc.

It's about time they also respect us.

I don't respect the smoking habit.

It has killed many of my friends and maimed others. It's not really a pleasant addiction because of the side effects.
It's not a pleasant way to die either.

Governments are stopping it in other countries. It's not happening here but I understand that people like you would prefer the situation with regard to smoking in Switzerland to be like it was in the 50s or present day in Niwalden).

I don't. Tough.

And don't tell me what I should do for my kids. Do I for yours? Or your family?
What do your kids think about their mother smoking?

Sorry, your questions are becoming too personal.

Good. Then ffs stop mentioning my kids in your posts.

It's unfortunate that some people smoke and blow it directly into the faces of children.

I do commonly see people moving out of the way to smoke, and I also see someone go stand right next to them when there is plenty of room elsewhere.

I also don't really like to see all the drug addicts right outside my apartment, but it has been decided, addictions are an illness, and we can't hide these problems of society, they must be dealt with in the middle of the city where all are aware.

Live and let live is fine and dandy, if I don't have to directly inhale the product of the "live" part of somebody else. It usually works to politely remind people to not be selfish (people in the playgrounds, poolside, etc.). Progress in public health issues and regulations like this one will happen one day here, too, an insular mindset takes time to change. I don't think smokers per se are being attacked here, just careless people who don't look around themselves.

The "political" issue regarding smoking is the money - isn't it always about the money. Think about it - why would those few who control the market give up making loads of money off of billions (guaranteed income from lifetime of addiction plus all sorts of ailments, including air pollution)?

Doesn't matter how many braincells you have, if it is sexy to smoke, or you look powerful when you smoke(or so the ads would make you believe)... guess who's going to profit off of you. The problem is that some gain, and a lot of us (if not all) lose. I mean, there is no Plan(et) B.

Pfizer is mentioned in the article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/08/bu...smtyp=cur&_r=0