I had prepared a fairly nasty article about smoking in America. I was in a foul mood when I conceived of the concept for the article (It was right at the tail end of a slooooow evening commute) and it’s so negative that it probably would have offended the family and friends of smokers, to say nothing of the smokers themselves.

So I’ve filed that article away. Parts of it may see the light of day in the future but for now it has prompted me to select another one of society’s dumbest questions.

On the occasions that a smoker actually asks this question it is generally aimed at a non-smoker. Speaking from experience, the only times I’ve ever told someone that I don’t mind if they smoke near me was when the smoker was a girl I was out on a date with. In retrospect, I regret every time I’ve lied about my preference on this subject.

It’s a dumb question because it’s a clear-cut request for an individual to willingly compromise their own health and well-being. If you had tuberculosis you obviously wouldn’t ask your friends if they mind if you cough in their face. You would assume the answer is “no” and you would cover your mouth.

This post needs to end here before I piss myself off anymore. My family has lost one member to lung cancer this year and we’re probably going to lose another within the next 6 to 18 months. Smoking is somewhat of a sore subject.