Why are smokers excused from littering?

Electric Gypsy · 29-05-2023 2:12pm #1

A friend asked me if I'd join him on a hike recently. There was 9 of us in total and most were from a walking club that my friend is also joined, although this wasn't an official walk. Upon arriving in the car park before the walk I noticed two from the other car pool were smoking. They of course stamped out their butts on the ground.

There was a lady from this group who my friend had been telling me about and how she had given out to him for throwing a banana peel away on another hike, saying "we leave nothing on the mountain but our footprints". On the first break during the climb my friend was winding up this lady in a playful way as he was eating his banana! She made some joke back about how she's watching us to make sure we don't litter. About a minute later the leader lit up a cigarette. Of course I kept and eye on him thinking there was a small chance he might have a different attitude about it giving that he was on the mountain this time. He stamped it out as this lady's back was turned so she didn't see it happen. I didn't say anything.

On the way down during another break the leader stamped out another cigarette and proceeded to bury it. I honestly felt I'd no choice but to point it out. I told him that he shouldn't do it and why. He remained calm saying pretty much nothing apart from "well, I would disagree with you". My friend told to shut up. I didn't care. Interestingly this lady didn't say one word to back me up. I knew what the reaction would be before I said this but it's just interesting that you could potentially get given out to for throwing away an apple core or banana peel, but if you throw away a fag butt (which will still be there in a hundred years) you're excused... because it's an addiction. Throughout the hike these two guys smoked a total of 9 cigarettes between them. The other smoker forgot his sandwich and I gave him one of mine. It also made me think of how it was interesting in the way certainly wouldn't forget the cigarettes!

EchoIndia · 29-05-2023 2:19pm

Apart from the fire risk during the dry weather and the obvious reduction in the quality of public spaces, there is the cost imposed on local authorities and businesses. Why so many smokers do this, I don't know. https://www.newstalk.com/news/54-of-all-litter-in-ireland-is-cigarette-butts-1361963

corner of hells · 29-05-2023 2:45pm

What type of of sammich was it ?

HeidiHeidi · 29-05-2023 2:54pm

Filthy, disgusting habit.

The amount fecked out the windows of cars as well is frightening.

They all wind up in the sea eventually, and take donkey's years to degrade.

People I sail with also throw their butts into the sea and it drives me nuts, but they just won't not do it. A German girl years ago used to carry around a lozenge tube (think Berocca) and use that as her ashtray on boats. But she's the only one I ever saw doing it.

😡

CramCycle · 29-05-2023 2:59pm

Because you're likely to get lamped for pointing it out. Happens at the train station every day. Literally standing beside a bin with an ash tray on top and they throw it on the ground.

Potential-Monke · 29-05-2023 8:16pm

I used to do it until it was pointed out to me. When asked why, I could only deduce it was because everyone does it. But I see a massive decrease in the amount of cigarette butts around. Streets used to be full of them, but not as much these days imo.

I've since quit cigarette smoking, only have the friendly green now. I throw my butts into a garden-ish area behind a hedge at home. I use hemp papers and biodegradable roaches, all gone back to earth within 6-10 weeks. Which is a good thing, there'd be a mountain of them there now if they didn't! Our wet weather accelerates it. I'd use them in the soil I'd use to grow cannabis, if I was allowed. Circle of life.

Electric Gypsy · 30-05-2023 12:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120655606#Comment_120655606

How did the person who pointed it out to you go about doing so?

Electric Gypsy · 30-05-2023 12:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120654548#Comment_120654548

Heuston station?

CramCycle · 30-05-2023 1:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120657725#Comment_120657725

All of them, Dun Laoghaire I'd almost think they had a hidden camera waiting for someone to react it's so frequent.

Electric Gypsy · 30-05-2023 5:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120657824#Comment_120657824

I gave out to a fella just this morning. He threw an almost full fag on the ground before he got onto the bus. I said nothing but when he got on he started foraging for coins in his pocket for nearly 30 seconds. I said "first you litter and then you delay the bus". He said "I littered?" as he frowned, so then I spelled it out for him. He said "are you a **** litter warden?... take my money and drive". I refused to take him on and then had to turn off the engine to show him I was serious. There was of course some verbal abuse before he got off.

He was very confused by it all I'd say. Because I acted appalled, it seemed to him as if I'd never seen a fag butt being littered before... he probably thought I'd never stepped outside the house before today. Or maybe he thinks that I say that to everyone I see do it! He looked at me like I'd two heads... which was his way of saying that if I keep acting like that that I'm going to get my head kicked in some day. I completely understand what he means and he's right, but that made it all the more fun refusing to take him.

HeidiHeidi · 30-05-2023 5:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120659112#Comment_120659112

Good on ya!

cj maxx · 30-05-2023 5:55pm

In my experience they’re not excused any more.

Strumms · 30-05-2023 6:48pm

zero excuses for it, most cars now have smokeless ashtrays with lids…if they don’t they can be procured handily, about 20 euros including shipping, fit neatly in the cup holder.

ballyargus · 30-05-2023 6:55pm

Tbh, I don't think a lot of people realise that butts aren't biodegradable. If it were just a tobacco-based rollie in a skin with no filter, I wouldn't see it being wildly different from tossing an apple core. Regular cigarettes or anything with a filter isn't going anywhere and shouldn't be dumped.

buried · 30-05-2023 6:55pm

I smoke and I never litter any butt I discard. Not to say there isn't other smokers that don't give a $hit and will discard their ends anywhere they want to. But they are the same types that literally don't give a $hit about anything and everything else. So good luck and god bless dealing with those types, have at it.

Potential-Monke · 30-05-2023 7:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120657718#Comment_120657718

Quite a long time ago, but it was while driving through the country and I tossed the end out the window, as one used to do. The non-smoking passenger friend just simply said "That's littering". I couldn't disagree. We then had a conversation about the cost of a fine for littering, so I made a conscious decision to stop. I didn't always get it right, and soon moved on to rollies, and soon not smoking in the car, and then just not smoking (cigarettes/tobacco rollies).

I do remember the "flick" being enjoyable though. Maybe that's why most people still do it. That little dopamine rush from a good flick. Probably just ignorance though.

Electric Gypsy · 30-05-2023 7:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120659577#Comment_120659577

And if only famous movie directors were capable of thinking of a better way to portray characters as dominant other than showing them toss the cigarette, i.e Paul Mescal in Normal People, and Don Draper.

straight · 30-05-2023 7:53pm

The local pub has a fag butt bin on the wall but all the ignorant smokers fire their butts into the water drain beside it. It's nearly full up at this stage and waiting for a good flood to wash them off into the local waterway.

iamstop · 30-05-2023 8:45pm

I've met a few smokers over the years that carry those sealable ashtray bag things with them when travelling or going to the beach etc. They should be more widely available IMHO. Like free or very cheap at most places that sell the cigs.

Why are smokers excused from littering?

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