Smokers and the Litter in the Streets
This morning on CBC Radio, Daybreak's Dave Bronstetter et al. discussed the garbage strewn state of Montreal's streets. I've included a link to the interview, but I don't know how long the interview will be up.
Basically, some people don't think the city does enough to keep the streets clean. Now, Montreal is a pretty clean city by comparison, but there is some truth to this claim. However, as annoying as Montreal's maintenance workers can be with their slowdowns and as "I don't know, it's not us" as Montreal's municipal management can seem, I wouldn't place the full blame on poor city planning and execution of maintenance. Nope. I say take a closer look at the smokers.
It is a well known fact that Montreal is off the mark on smoking and smoking regulation, especially when compared to a reasonable chunk of North American cities. Smoking is still permitted in restaurants, bars and those "smoke ten metres from the door" rules outside hospitals are rarely enforced. In fact, people frequently smoke their cigarettes (and not just those of the tobacco type) in the elevator and lobby of my building. Smokers, I have to ask, why are you so selfish?
At this point, it's ridiculous to claim that second hand smoke is not a health risk. That's like saying we should put the "coke" back into Coca-Cola because it gives us just so much energy! Smokers will inevitably say that it is their right to smoke. Fine. Screw up your health if you want to, but remember to pay for all your own health bills instead of using the provincial health insurance for all your otherwise preventable diseases and assorted yummy bodily misfunctions. Also, when you're "exercising your right to smoke," just remember not to exhale right into my face. There are people behind you when you're smoking and walking in the streets, you know...
But I digress...back to the subject at hand: litter. Smokers, if you are going to engage in this burdensome habit, please don't throw your matches, cigarette butts, ashes, foil linings of cigarette packs and cigarette boxes into the street. The world is not your ashtray/garbage pan. Demonstrate some responsibility for your habit. Acknowledge that what you are doing isn't the greatest smelling, cleanest habit in the world and compensate for it. I guarantee that if smokers do this, Montreal will be a much prettier, happier, shinier place.
Didn't the government say they were going to ban this habit in public places? Finally!
Besides, smoking makes your skin all gray and yucky looking! Wrinkly too...ewww!
Basically, some people don't think the city does enough to keep the streets clean. Now, Montreal is a pretty clean city by comparison, but there is some truth to this claim. However, as annoying as Montreal's maintenance workers can be with their slowdowns and as "I don't know, it's not us" as Montreal's municipal management can seem, I wouldn't place the full blame on poor city planning and execution of maintenance. Nope. I say take a closer look at the smokers.
It is a well known fact that Montreal is off the mark on smoking and smoking regulation, especially when compared to a reasonable chunk of North American cities. Smoking is still permitted in restaurants, bars and those "smoke ten metres from the door" rules outside hospitals are rarely enforced. In fact, people frequently smoke their cigarettes (and not just those of the tobacco type) in the elevator and lobby of my building. Smokers, I have to ask, why are you so selfish?
At this point, it's ridiculous to claim that second hand smoke is not a health risk. That's like saying we should put the "coke" back into Coca-Cola because it gives us just so much energy! Smokers will inevitably say that it is their right to smoke. Fine. Screw up your health if you want to, but remember to pay for all your own health bills instead of using the provincial health insurance for all your otherwise preventable diseases and assorted yummy bodily misfunctions. Also, when you're "exercising your right to smoke," just remember not to exhale right into my face. There are people behind you when you're smoking and walking in the streets, you know...
But I digress...back to the subject at hand: litter. Smokers, if you are going to engage in this burdensome habit, please don't throw your matches, cigarette butts, ashes, foil linings of cigarette packs and cigarette boxes into the street. The world is not your ashtray/garbage pan. Demonstrate some responsibility for your habit. Acknowledge that what you are doing isn't the greatest smelling, cleanest habit in the world and compensate for it. I guarantee that if smokers do this, Montreal will be a much prettier, happier, shinier place.
Didn't the government say they were going to ban this habit in public places? Finally!
Besides, smoking makes your skin all gray and yucky looking! Wrinkly too...ewww!
posted by Laurelle St. Laurent at 1:47 p.m.
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