I live in an environment where people perceive smokers as bad people. They see a smoker as someone who is bad, Someone who is not loyal, someone who is stubborn and have no love in him, someone who can easily hurt others, someone who is capable of committing crime in the society. And many more I can't remember. Maybe when you read this you can add more to the list. The question is why are Smokers viewed this way in the society?
Being in a smoking environment can cause several other problems in addition to environmental pollution. A non-smoker can slowly become addicted to smoking when he sees a smoker. Seeing him, young children may become curious and attracted to smoking. Generally, if bad habits are spread among young children, it is not possible to give up that habit easily.
Environmental pollution you say, it's laughable though. If you and the government cares so much about the environment and you don't want it polluted, they should first stop the use of petrol vehicles and gas exploration. Don't you think that there are far more worse things that are polluting the environment than the smokers that you are accusing wrongly? How can a non smoker become addicted to smoking by just seeing who is smoking. You need to be part of something before you stand the chance of being addicted to it, if you abuse it. Any non smoker who chooses to smoke because of seeing smokers regularly has always wanted to smoke, maybe something was preventing him before. Probably lies that were being sold to him about smokers by people with wrong sentiments towards smokers and he/she eventually found the truth. Haven't you seen or come across people who don't smoke in front of kids or in an open space? If you haven't, there are people like that.