[snogglethorpe]

The most obvious difference is that alcohol isn't directly harmful to other people, whereas smoking is...

This attribute basically makes it very difficult for people to adopt a "well it's their choice, I'll let them dig their own grave" attitude in regard to smoking.

[imesh]

Except that second hand smoke isn't really that bad. http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2013/12/12/study-fi...

[crazy2be]

That does not match the scientific consensus [1]. You'll have to do better than a single study, summarized in a Forbes article, if you want to make that claim.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_smoking

[Clubber]

From your link.

>Most of the research has come from studies of nonsmokers who are married to a smoker. Those conclusions are also backed up by further studies of workplace exposure to smoke

I suggest you don't marry a smoker, or work in a bar where they allow smoking. Otherwise, you'll be fine. You'll probably be fine either way. The increased risk is minimal (1-4%?) and requires years and years of constant exposure.

[TulliusCicero]

Even ignoring health effects, it has a smell that can be sickening for non-smokers, and you can't control where the smoke goes. Ordinances against smoking are also nuisance ordinances, not unlike rules around excessively loud music or mufflers.

At this point some smokers like to bring up "b-b-but what if someone wears a ton of perfume??" but in practice basically nobody regularly takes a break to shoot perfume several times in a row into the air around them.

[zeveb]

> Even ignoring health effects, it has a smell that can be sickening for non-smokers, and you can't control where the smoke goes.

That also applies to different cultures' bathing and perfume practises, but I think we all recognise that banning those practises would be unjust.

> At this point some smokers like to bring up "b-b-but what if someone wears a ton of perfume??" but in practice basically nobody regularly takes a break to shoot perfume several times in a row into the air around them.

You've clearly never shared an enclosed space with someone whose bathing practises — while unobjectionable from a health & sanitation viewpoint — are different from your own.

[TulliusCicero]

Ah, here come the bad analogies from the smoking apologists.

It's quite rare that I come across anyone who's even close to as stinky as a smoker who's currently smoking. Besides, as a practical matter, restricting bad body odor is not nearly as problematic as restricting smoking.