New Neighbor and Smoking

[Anonymous]

Another thing to think about. People who smoke are hurting those around them with their habit 100% of the time. Second hand smoke is toxic and hurts me even though I have never touched a cigarette. If I drink 1 beer I am not hurting anyone else unless I am pregnant. Breaking the law is breaking the law and that goes for underage drinking and smoking, but this isn't the topic of this post, so let it go. We all get why OP is upset.

OP, your neighbors get to smoke on their property, you get to avoid them when they're doing it and teach your DC you don't like smoking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another thing to think about. People who smoke are hurting those around them with their habit 100% of the time. Second hand smoke is toxic and hurts me even though I have never touched a cigarette. If I drink 1 beer I am not hurting anyone else unless I am pregnant. Breaking the law is breaking the law and that goes for underage drinking and smoking, but this isn't the topic of this post, so let it go. We all get why OP is upset.

OP, your neighbors get to smoke on their property, you get to avoid them when they're doing it and teach your DC you don't like smoking.

Driving hurts people 100 percent with the exhaust put out.

The secondhand smoke thing seems a moot point, given that smoking indoors in public spaces is not longer allowed. if someone smokes in their car or on their property, it doesn't affect you (at least not anymore than someone operating a lawnmower or running an engine on their property).

The drinking thing was brought up not as it hurts people but as an example of letting kids see bad habits.

I would add as well that lots of people still do drink and drive. how many people drinking in a bar do you think aren't driving home?

[Anonymous]

OP here. I do not drink, and I do not condone drinking either. I would never bring my kids to a party where alcohol was being served, I understand many adults enjoy a beer or cup of wine, but I do not see why I should be expected to push that on my kids by taking them to parties where alcohol is served. If they choose to drink when they are 21, that is fine, I don't see why I should teach them that drinking or smoking is fine by bombarding them with experiences of people doing either.

As for how I knew DC had less smokers, I had a lot of friends/family in the area who said as much. Also, if anyone spent more then a day in Philadelphia, they would know just how many people there smoke, I would come back home from work (in center city Philly) smelling like old cigarettes from walking down market street during the day time, literally every other person you would pass was smoking. Then I got a job offer in DC which helped me choose as well.

Anyway, I think it is perfectly fine to ask the neighbors to be respectful of my kid's health. They can smoke indoors or in their back yard, why they just have to smoke right in the front where the smoke puts the neighborhood kids in danger is beyond me.

[Anonymous]

OP - You have waaay too much free time on your hands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another thing to think about. People who smoke are hurting those around them with their habit 100% of the time. Second hand smoke is toxic and hurts me even though I have never touched a cigarette. If I drink 1 beer I am not hurting anyone else unless I am pregnant. Breaking the law is breaking the law and that goes for underage drinking and smoking, but this isn't the topic of this post, so let it go. We all get why OP is upset.

OP, your neighbors get to smoke on their property, you get to avoid them when they're doing it and teach your DC you don't like smoking.

Driving hurts people 100 percent with the exhaust put out.

The secondhand smoke thing seems a moot point, given that smoking indoors in public spaces is not longer allowed. if someone smokes in their car or on their property, it doesn't affect you (at least not anymore than someone operating a lawnmower or running an engine on their property).


The drinking thing was brought up not as it hurts people but as an example of letting kids see bad habits.

I would add as well that lots of people still do drink and drive. how many people drinking in a bar do you think aren't driving home?

Your reasoning is flawed. Everyone who drinks does not drink and drive. I have never once gotten behind the wheel after drinking even one drink. EVER. If you have let that be on your head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I do not drink, and I do not condone drinking either. I would never bring my kids to a party where alcohol was being served, I understand many adults enjoy a beer or cup of wine, but I do not see why I should be expected to push that on my kids by taking them to parties where alcohol is served. If they choose to drink when they are 21, that is fine, I don't see why I should teach them that drinking or smoking is fine by bombarding them with experiences of people doing either.

As for how I knew DC had less smokers, I had a lot of friends/family in the area who said as much. Also, if anyone spent more then a day in Philadelphia, they would know just how many people there smoke, I would come back home from work (in center city Philly) smelling like old cigarettes from walking down market street during the day time, literally every other person you would pass was smoking. Then I got a job offer in DC which helped me choose as well.

Anyway, I think it is perfectly fine to ask the neighbors to be respectful of my kid's health. They can smoke indoors or in their back yard, why they just have to smoke right in the front where the smoke puts the neighborhood kids in danger is beyond me.

OP, face it, you are an outlier. You've never brought your kids somewhere where people were having a "cup" of wine?

There's a good chance your kids will grow up and be embarrassed by you.

You focus way too much on this stuff. I know a lot of normal people - you are not acting in a normal way on this issue. I say this to be helpful. That is all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I do not drink, and I do not condone drinking either. I would never bring my kids to a party where alcohol was being served, I understand many adults enjoy a beer or cup of wine, but I do not see why I should be expected to push that on my kids by taking them to parties where alcohol is served. If they choose to drink when they are 21, that is fine, I don't see why I should teach them that drinking or smoking is fine by bombarding them with experiences of people doing either.

As for how I knew DC had less smokers, I had a lot of friends/family in the area who said as much. Also, if anyone spent more then a day in Philadelphia, they would know just how many people there smoke, I would come back home from work (in center city Philly) smelling like old cigarettes from walking down market street during the day time, literally every other person you would pass was smoking. Then I got a job offer in DC which helped me choose as well.

Anyway, I think it is perfectly fine to ask the neighbors to be respectful of my kid's health. They can smoke indoors or in their back yard, why they just have to smoke right in the front where the smoke puts the neighborhood kids in danger is beyond me.

You would never bring your children to a wedding? or allow them to attend a bar/bat mitzvah where alcohol is served to the adults? Or an office Christmas party where, again, alcohol is served to the adults? Or a 4th of July party? Hey, how about a restaurant? An airplane?

You are setting your children up for drinking problems if you don't allow them to see what responsible drinking is. Because when they are in high school they will be exposed to alcohol. And they will see that every evil thing you have told them would happen doesn't happen and they will be poorly equipped to exercise judgment. Do you really think you can keep them away from alcohol until they are 21? What about college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Anyway, I think it is perfectly fine to ask the neighbors to be respectful of my kid's health. They can smoke indoors or in their back yard, why they just have to smoke right in the front where the smoke puts the neighborhood kids in danger is beyond me.

It's THEIR yard, OP. Theirs to do with as they please. Maybe they don't want to smoke inside or in the back. That's their choice.

[Anonymous]

Why not ask all your neighbors and their household employees to buy hybrid automobiles and to stop using gasoline-powered lawn mowers and leaf-blowers? Once they've done that, you should check to see that they're not using pesticides.

If you succeed at that, maybe you could ask your new neighbors not to smoke where you can see them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It's THEIR yard, OP. Theirs to do with as they please. Maybe they don't want to smoke inside or in the back. That's their choice.

I think that's the main point. Not the OP's position on smoking or on alcohol.

You can, of course, ask them to please smoke in the back instead of the front. What will you do if they say no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You can, of course, ask them to please smoke in the back instead of the front. What will you do if they say no?

Yes, OP can ask them to do anything she sees fit. Since turnabout is fair play, they could tell her to keep the children off their property.

[Anonymous]

Your neighbors aren't responsible for your childrens' health. If you feel so strongly about the smoke, keep them the hell out of their yard. Better yet, make your kids play in your backyard.

[Anonymous]

OP, what general area do you live in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another thing to think about. People who smoke are hurting those around them with their habit 100% of the time. Second hand smoke is toxic and hurts me even though I have never touched a cigarette. If I drink 1 beer I am not hurting anyone else unless I am pregnant. Breaking the law is breaking the law and that goes for underage drinking and smoking, but this isn't the topic of this post, so let it go. We all get why OP is upset.

OP, your neighbors get to smoke on their property, you get to avoid them when they're doing it and teach your DC you don't like smoking.

Driving hurts people 100 percent with the exhaust put out.

The secondhand smoke thing seems a moot point, given that smoking indoors in public spaces is not longer allowed. if someone smokes in their car or on their property, it doesn't affect you (at least not anymore than someone operating a lawnmower or running an engine on their property).


The drinking thing was brought up not as it hurts people but as an example of letting kids see bad habits.

I would add as well that lots of people still do drink and drive. how many people drinking in a bar do you think aren't driving home?[/quote

Your reasoning is flawed. Everyone who drinks does not drink and drive. I have never once gotten behind the wheel after drinking even one drink. EVER. If you have let that be on your head.

No, I have never gotten behind the wheel after drinking. Actually, I hardly ever drink. My point is that the logic that a smoker is hurting someone else 100 percent of the time is flawed as well. My best friend smokes, but he never does it around other people. he does it in his back yard, far enough away from his neighbors. And whenever I'm over, he says he won't, but I tell him it's okay. I'm at HIS house.

I'm tired of people demonizing smokers. He is one of the most polite people I've ever known.

I can't believe someone has nerve to be upset because their kids are playing in their neighbor's yard and the neighbor is doing a legal activity that they don't approve of. Have we really become that ridiculous? Does she get upset about an idling bus in front of the house?

[Anonymous]

OP. If I smoked and you came on my property and asked me to quit, I'd light up in front of you. Then, I'd recruit smokers to come over every noght and light up.