Why is it "OK" to throw cigarette butts on the ground?

jusmeig · 16-07-2008 2:35pm #1

I'm sure this is not a new topic or question....but a few events I witnessed recently spurred to me ask a simple question:

Why is it more acceptable for a smoker to throw a finished cigarette on the ground, than it would be for the same person to throw a bag of crisps on the ground?

Point in question: Standing at a dart station a drunk guy dropped a bag of rubbish on the track. People shook their heads in disgust as he stumbled off. Right beside me a guy flicked a cigarette onto the tracks....no one paid any attention? Is it a case of the bag of rubbish being seen as a greater evil?

Saruman · 16-07-2008 2:39pm

Its not, or at least it should not be. the only difference is that a cig butt will bio degrade quickly. Its still littering and against the law. People need to be fined for this.

biko · 16-07-2008 2:45pm

A butt will probably degrade in 2-5 years so it is a while before it's gone.

jusmeig · 16-07-2008 2:46pm

Having done a quick google about butts (cigarette) it appears they are not very bio-degradeable at all. The white filter is not cotton, there are plastic fibers, and according to the below most butts find their way to the ocean.

http://www.litterbutt.com/v3/StopLitter/SoWhat.aspx

I fully agree with you, a fine is the only way to deal with it!

Damomayo · 16-07-2008 2:47pm

Its a disgusting habit and littering then only confirms that the ppl that smoke are ignorant of the ppl around them. Bad enough we have to put up with passive smoking outside without them littering as well. Keep increasing price of cigs i think IMO

(Rant over)

jusmeig · 16-07-2008 2:51pm

Damomayo wrote: »

Its a disgusting habit and littering then only confirms that the ppl that smoke are ignorant of the ppl around them. Bad enough we have to put up with passive smoking outside without them littering as well. Keep increasing price of cigs i think IMO

(Rant over)

here here! Ash blowing into my face has to be the worst of the lot...or blowing onto your clothes!!!

arybvtcw0eolkf · 16-07-2008 2:51pm

That and spitting are two things which regularly disgusts me.

I could add pissing in the streets to it too, but thankfully its a rarity compared with the others.

Oh, while we're ranting.. Chewing gum, I think that should be banned except for medical purposes.

ojewriej · 16-07-2008 2:52pm

Damomayo wrote: »

Its a disgusting habit and littering then only confirms that the ppl that smoke are ignorant of the ppl around them. Bad enough we have to put up with passive smoking outside without them littering as well. Keep increasing price of cigs i think IMO

(Rant over)

Yeah, and once we sort out them ignorant smokers, let's tax dandruff. Dandruff is so disgusting, at this day and age it's your own fault if you have it, so no mercy.

After that, let's tax everything else.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 16-07-2008 2:53pm

Lets start throwing Polish people to the ground

ojewriej · 16-07-2008 2:54pm

Mairt wrote: »

Lets start throwing Polish people to the ground

Or better yet, let's tax all foerigners living abroad. Who do they think they are.

Goodshape · 16-07-2008 2:56pm

A bag of rubbish is a bigger deal than a tiny cigarette butt tbh.

Also, carrying around a tiny stinky little butt while you're looking for a bin isn't very nice.

But yeah - I don't consider it a good or 'OK' thing to do. Just something that gets done regardless if, for instance, the bus pulls up and you've got little or no other option.

blah · 16-07-2008 3:02pm

Goodshape wrote: »

Also, carrying around a tiny stinky little butt while you're looking for a bin isn't very nice.

But somehow it's worthwhile for the 5 minutes it takes to reduce it to a tiny stinky little butt? :rolleyes:

Goodshape · 16-07-2008 3:09pm

blah wrote: »

But somehow it's worthwhile for the 5 minutes it takes to reduce it to a tiny stinky little butt? :rolleyes:

Yes.

jusmeig · 16-07-2008 3:10pm

Methinks a smoker has arrived

I would ask smokers, why do you throw your butts on the ground? Can you not stub it out and put it in a bin - Problem solved.

ojewriej · 16-07-2008 3:12pm

jusmeig wrote: »

Methinks a smoker has arrived
I would ask smokers, why do you throw your butts on the ground? Can you not stub it out and put it in a bin - Problem solved.

There isn't always a bin around.

Saruman · 16-07-2008 3:17pm

So? hold on to it until there is one... most pubs have ash bin things on the walls outside and there is certainly no shortage of pubs

Ordinary rubbish goes in my pocket until i find a bin. If its too big it stays in my hands.

raido9 · 16-07-2008 3:19pm

Damomayo wrote: »

Its a disgusting habit and littering then only confirms that the ppl that smoke are ignorant of the ppl around them. Bad enough we have to put up with passive smoking outside without them littering as well. Keep increasing price of cigs i think IMO

(Rant over)

Sigh :rolleyes:
There's always one

Goodshape · 16-07-2008 3:19pm

ojewriej wrote: »

There isn't always a bin around.

Qft.

To be honest, I try to do my best not to throw cigarette butts, or chewing gum, on the ground.

With chewing gum there really is no excuse. And I will *always* wait until I find a bin. With cigarettes, because they are so 'universally' detested and not allowed in any inside or enclosed space these days there often really isn't much of a choice.

If I'm walking along the street then sure, I'll hold onto it until I find a bin. But if the bus pulls up and I'm still smoking - my options are limited.

jusmeig · 16-07-2008 3:27pm

ojewriej wrote: »

There isn't always a bin around.

how does that effect anything? If I have rubbish I dont dump it because I cant find a bin, I hold it until I find one.

But let me guess....smokers won't hold a butt because its dirty and it smells?

ojewriej · 16-07-2008 3:31pm

jusmeig wrote: »

how does that effect anything? If I have rubbish I dont dump it because I cant find a bin, I hold it until I find one.

But let me guess....smokers won't hold a butt because its dirty and it smells?

Nope, what I meant is that it's not as simple as you outlined.

And no, I don't throw my butts on the ground, i usually find a drain.

jusmeig · 16-07-2008 3:33pm

ojewriej wrote: »

Nope, what I meant is that it's not as simple as you outlined.

And no, I don't throw my butts on the ground, i usually find a drain.

Why is it not as simple? Put the butt in your pocket, then put it in the bin?
Throwing them in a drain is a great idea, block it up good

raido9 · 16-07-2008 3:35pm

In fairness, there's no talking to non-smokers, they're too far up on their high horse to even listen to non-smoking scum.

No discussion thread between smokers and non-smokers has ended with them agreeing anything

jusmeig · 16-07-2008 3:36pm

Goodshape wrote: »

Qft.

If I'm walking along the street then sure, I'll hold onto it until I find a bin. But if the bus pulls up and I'm still smoking - my options are limited.

Goodshape....you could adopt ojewriej approach and throw them in a drain...then no one will have to look at them

ojewriej · 16-07-2008 3:37pm

jusmeig wrote: »

Why is it not as simple? Put the butt in your pocket, then put it in the bin?

To dirty to put in the pocket. The burned part.

jusmeig wrote: »

Throwing them in a drain is a great idea, block it up good

Yeah, beacuse we always hear about the drains being blocked by cigarette butts.

Think about it - wouldn't people who design severs assume that some rubish will be flushed in there with rain water?

Joe's fanclub · 16-07-2008 3:38pm

I smoked for the best part of five years but am now off them so can see both sides

You can't put a lit cigerette in your pocket! Sure you can hold it till it goes out but honestly, laziness will throw it on the ground, only recently have most bins gotten those 'ashtrays' on the top, and not all of them have one, so again, you can't put a lit cigerette in a bin, although some do .......

jusmeig · 16-07-2008 3:44pm

ojewriej wrote: »

To dirty to put in the pocket. The burned part.

To dirty to put in your pocket, but clean enough to put in your lungs and blood stream?!?
Im no angel myself, and god knows I like a drink or two....but the returns on smoking seem to be very limited from what I can see:

Yellow hands/teeth
Bad Breath
Bags under your eyes
Lung cancer

I think ill gamble on increasing my risk of liver failure, but enjoy doing it....rather than smoke cigarettes and die of lung cancer....looking like gollum form lord of the rings.

ojewriej wrote: »

Think about it - wouldn't people who design severs assume that some rubish will be flushed in there with rain water?

Yes I agree, some rubbish, but I doubt that they factor in that some smokers will go looking for drains in lieu of a bin.

jusmeig · 16-07-2008 3:47pm

Joe's fanclub wrote: »

you can't put a lit cigerette in a bin, although some do .......

I did say stub it out first!!!

Throw it on the ground, stamp on it until its out....and throw it in the bin?

ojewriej · 16-07-2008 3:52pm

jusmeig wrote: »

To dirty to put in your pocket, but clean enough to put in your lungs and blood stream?!?

I've never seen anyone putting a cigarette butt in their lungs and blood stream. I don't do it anyway.

jusmeig wrote: »

Im no angel myself, and god knows I like a drink or two....but the returns on smoking seem to be very limited from what I can see:

Yellow hands/teeth
Bad Breath
Bags under your eyes
Lung cancer

I think ill gamble on increasing my risk of liver failure, but enjoy doing it....rather than smoke cigarettes and die of lung cancer....looking like gollum form lord of the rings.

You are the first person ever who said that to me. You really opened my eyes. Thanks.

I also eat in mcDonalds a lot - could you lecture me on that, too?

Yes I agree, some rubbish, but I doubt that they factor in that some smokers will go looking for drains in lieu of a bin.

Why wouldn't they? It's a pretty common thing to do.

Goodshape · 16-07-2008 3:57pm

Joe's fanclub wrote: »

You can't put a lit cigerette in your pocket!

In fairness, there's always a wall or the top of a bin or /somewhere/ to stub it out. But the stink off a stubbed out butt will attach itself to your pocket and waft from you for long after you get rid of it, if you do put it in your pocket.

Just because I enjoy a cigarette doesn't mean I enjoy stinking of stale burnt smoke all day long.

Not having a bin around is fairly rare tbh, but on those rare occasions then I'm sorry -- I'm not putting a cigarette butt in my pocket. It's going to go on the ground.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 16-07-2008 4:06pm

jusmeig wrote: »

how does that effect anything? If I have rubbish I dont dump it because I cant find a bin, I hold it until I find one.

But let me guess....smokers won't hold a butt because its dirty and it smells?

One of the best replies I've ever read on boards.ie..

Thanks.

Woden · 16-07-2008 4:18pm

Goodshape wrote: »

Not having a bin around is fairly rare tbh, but on those rare occasions then I'm sorry -- I'm not putting a cigarette butt in my pocket. It's going to go on the ground.

While not ideal I do think this is fair enough. If you're willing to hold onto the butt until a bin turns up but with exceptional circumstances i.e. bus turns up not much you can do!

Its the blatant throwing of them on the ground when there is a bin right in front of you that bugs me. I was standing outside Bus Aras one night waiting for a late bus when a guy just finished smoking and flicked the butt to the ground. There must have been 4 bins in viewing distance

Why is it "OK" to throw cigarette butts on the ground?

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