Public Smoking

[Ted]

What difference does it make if you’re outdoors or not? If you’re exposed to it, you’re exposed to it.

It has to do with quantity when compared to clean air. Same as how most chemicals say only to use outdoors or with appropriate ventilation.

 

[PaulS]

"I am a smoker, the world is my ashtray!"

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

What difference does it make if you’re outdoors or not? If you’re exposed to it, you’re exposed to it.

As Ted noted, it has to do with the concentrations one is likely exposed to and the length of time. In the outdoors, a given amount of carcinogen is more likely to be diluted by more fresh air than indoors.

Very roughly speaking, the damage done, such as the increased likelihood of creating a cancer, will be proportional to concentration times total time exposed. Some agents will be more carcinogenic than others, thus requiring a lower product of those two factors than other agent to produce the same likelihood of developing cancer.

If the product of those two factors is the same outdoors as it is indoors, then yes, the place doesn’t matter. But being outdoors will usually result in a lower product because of dilution.

 

[simtech]

Look smoking is harmful, second hand smoke is harmful and I don't give a rip how much ppm blah blah the crap stinks and so do you. I will limit my exposure to both as best as I can. It's your right to smoke and it's my right to breath fresh air. As soon as you light up by me you just took MY right away. Do I expect you to care...sure, do I think you will, nope. It what it is, I've said it before and I'll say it again, smokers, not all, are some of the most inconsiderate people I know. Humanity has come to only caring about ones self no matter how inconsiderate you are to others. That's fine it's your right but dang stay away from building entrances and l stay away from you and keep quiet.

 

[RyanB]

Look smoking is harmful, second hand smoke is harmful and I don't give a rip how much ppm blah blah the crap stinks and so do you. I will limit my exposure to both as best as I can. It's your right to smoke and it's my right to breath fresh air. As soon as you light up by me you just took MY right away. Do I expect you to care...sure, do I think you will, nope. It what it is, I've said it before and I'll say it again, smokers, not all, are some of the most inconsiderate people I know. Humanity has come to only caring about ones self no matter how inconsiderate you are to others. That's fine it's your right but dang stay away from building entrances and l stay away from you and keep quiet.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Look smoking is harmful, second hand smoke is harmful

The types of exposures you will receive while passing near a building entrance have not been shown to be significantly harmful.

And does stink though and so this is just a typical problem with the use of common spaces. A lot of building owners do post against smoking within 50’ or so of the entrance now. Really up to them in the case of private owners. Public buildings are a different matter.