I am probably joining this debate too late by I still want to add my two cents.
There's been a bit of a divide among my friends recently over the matter of smoking. We have the smokers on one side and the non-smokers on the other side. Which left me in the unfortunate position of being stuck in the middle. As I don't smoke properly but neither do I detest the thing.
I smoke very irreguarly that can't even consider myself a smoker, yet I have smoked so I am not a non-smoker. Even before I smoked a single cigarette I had nothing against it. No one was forcing it upon me, and I wasn't forcing my beliefs on them. Though my belief is to let you live your life as you want, as you are not hurting others. Which also brings up something with smoking. Second hand smoke.
I agree with a segregation between smoking and non-smoking parts of pubs and restaurants, and by segregation I mean a full split between them. If you choose to smoke, I will not stop you. Though those who don't want to smoke shouldn't be forced to be exposed to your second hand smoke. An example came up at Humphrey's (excellent) party. The smokers all sat in the kitchen, and smoked there as that is where the ashtrays were and it also meant less smoke got absorbed into the fabrics. People who didn't want to be near the smoke could make the choice not to be there.
It all comes down to choices. Choose to smoke or choose not to, but in my opinion you can only truly make the desicion once you have tried a cigarette.
Ciao
xox
