I was thinking about this thread today and was wondering whether it got derailed, but I think I've decided that it hasn't been, and people have brought up some excellent points.
After thinking today and re-reading this thread I think I've figured out a few reasons why the occasional drink is accepted, and the occasional cigarette is often frowned upon.
I think it's because from the view of a third person, the immediate effects of one alcoholic drink are two things: a) only experienced by the person drinking, and thus not affecting others, and b) usually positive. People tend to lighten up after a couple of drinks, most people are friendly, and apart from beer-breath perhaps, there's no immediate negative issues.
But when looking at a group of people with one smoker, and one drinker, to the outsider the only visible effects are negative, and to everyone but the smoker him- or herself. That is, when you see someone have a cigarette or two or three their attitude or manner won't change, so to the outsider they think 'Why bother?' All the outsider experiences is cigarette smoke and ashes sprinkled everywhere, both negative things to just about anyone, I'd imagine.
So I suppose to people who don't smoke, ie. the 'outsider' the only effects of having someone else smoke are negative to them, and there appears to be no obvious effect on the person smoking.
And all this leads me to believe that for people who dislike smoking, regardless of whether they've tried it or not, the only clear and observable effects are bad, while with drinking a couple of drinks the only observable effects are (almost always) good. Therefore for the non-smoker who doesn't realize that to smokers, a cigarette tastes nice and gives a good feeling, it's hard to find any reason to smoke, without concluding that it must be against his or her true will. If you're really in control, why would you do something so obviously bad?
Does anyone have any thoughts on that?
Thanks Lebell, I hope the thread stays on course
