I quit smoking recently. It wasn't as hard as all the nicorette gum and nicotine patch ads make out and the only thing making it hard was them trying to convince me I'd need help. I just decided it was time to give up and I gave up. Three days later I smoked one more cigarette and it was bliss. By now, I haven't had a cigarette in so long that I'm back to having the regular intolerance for it. That meaning that if I do smoke, it tastes disgusting and induces gagging. I know this because I had a pretty rough time last week and I got a cigarette off a friend. I smoked it and it wasn't as good as my "last cigarette" or of any before that. It was almost as bad as my first.
My decision to quit coincided with the UK smoking ban. This means that as soon as I quit, smokers were starting to fill the streets. I can't go into town anymore without smelling cigarettes. As an ex-smoker, I hate that. Not only does it make me want to smoke, if only slightly, but it also just really stinks. It was never exactly fresh air to begin with but it was never so bad. That's why I'm against the smoking ban. The smoking ban was supposed to be in favour of non-smokers but I feel it's ruining the experince of going into town to do some shopping. We can no longer walk past a pub or a bar without a group of people gathered in a cloud of smoke, stinking up the streets. I haven't been in a pub since the ban and although I'd surely prefer it now, I'd really much rather that smokers still were able to smoke in there or at least be given designated smoking areas somewhere that isn't a heavily used public area.
I have nothing against smokers as such but I think they should be moved away from the general public, if they choose to smoke. I would propose either smoking rooms, open with free entry to smokers, or that an area of local parks be designated as a smoking area. I would not propose a further ban forcing smokers into these areas. The high-density public areas would still be open for them to smoke in but I would hope that common courtesy made more and more smokers choose the designated areas. It won't get rid of smokers completely but what I propose would at least reduce the level of stench in public areas. However, I still maintain that the smoking ban was a mistake in the first place.
So, as an ex-smoker I do not hate smokers. I just dislike that they smoke around me and would rather they be shooed away to special areas.
Also, I really do hate obese people. I acknowledge that many people have eating disorders and I know not everybody can have a fast metabolism, as I do, but still I think they should at least realise when they're getting too fat and get some help. I can't preach that they should eat healthily and do plenty of exercise because I don't really do that myself. I do, however, realise when I'm starting to get what is commonly known as a beer belly and I do start taking regular walks, upon noticing it, to rectify the problem. Once it's gone, I usually retreat to being my usual slothenly self. I suppose I shouldn't hate obese people but in many ways I do. I think it's mainly the health factor, though. I hate that they'd let their bodies get that unhealthy and perhaps, in a way, I feel that they shouldn't be allowed their body if they're going to mistreat in such a way. For that same reason, I should also hate smokers but it doesn't seem as massive a health risk as obesity and smoking cannot be solely responsible for a lack of productivity, whereas obese people will have difficulty even getting to a job in the morning and therefore aren't in a fit state to help their fellow man.
