Secondhand smoke issues

I absolutely cannot stand cigarette smoke. I’m not exaggerating when I say I want to tear the hands off anyone who reeks of it—it is quite literally the most disgusting thing I have ever had to deal with. I go out of my way to avoid smokers in enclosed spaces, but occasionally I’m "forced" into situations where I have to balance sitting down with constantly fleeing the room just to stop the smell from clinging to me. (Last Saturday, I was stuck in a wedding hall where more than 50% of the adults were smoking.) By the end of it, I walked out of that building smelling like a literal chimney. Honestly, if this were just an external issue—if I could just hop in the shower, scrub my skin, and deep-clean my hair—I'd be fine. But then I remember the stinging eyes, the stench in my hair, and clothes that feel too filthy to even wash in a laundry machine. 🙄
I know it sounds unrealistic, but does anyone have any advice for post-exposure detoxification? Food? Drinks? Steaming some herbal tea? Throw anything at me! I realize how silly this question might sound, given that inhaling smoke and its toxic compounds causes direct damage to lung tissue and is a massive health risk, but is there any way tomitigate the fallout from this kind of exposure?

Melissa Castillo said:I absolutely cannot stand cigarette smoke. Seriously. I’d rather cut my own hands off than deal with those stenches; it is easily the most disgusting thing I have ever had to endure. I try my best to steer clear of smokers in enclosed spaces, but occasionally I’m "forced" to balance sitting through an event with constantly ducking out of the room just so I don't suffocate... (last Saturday, I was stuck in a wedding hall) and more than half the adults there were smoking. Basically, I walked out of that house smelling like a chimney. I wish this were just an external issue—you know, hop in the shower, wash your hair, and everything is fine. But then I remember the stinging eyes, the hair that reeks, and clothes that feel too filthy to even be used for cleaning the bathroom 🙄
I'm wondering—even though I know it sounds unrealistic—does anyone have any advice for some kind of post-exposure detox? Food? Drinks? Steaming some herbal tea... I don't know, throw anything at me! I realize how silly this question is, given that smoke and all its toxic compounds cause direct damage to lung tissue and that's a massive issue, but can the consequences of this poisoning be mitigated somehow?

Even as a smoker, I feel for you, and I know it isn't easy...

Try to avoid those kinds of places if they bother you that much...

As far as cleansing your system goes, I haven't heard much about it, other than the body's natural way of filtering itself over time...

Now, I might be talking nonsense here, but I once heard that people exposed to "toxic" or generally undesirable substances (like workers in a printing plant or something similar) are advised to drink at least a liter of whole milk a day...

How much that actually protects the body, I have no clue, but I know my wife's father had to drink at least a liter of milk while he worked as a typesetter in a print shop...

So, if anyone knows more about that, please weigh in...

But the truth remains: the only real remedy is avoiding those rooms entirely.

I think he’s being overly dramatic, honestly. 🙄

I don't smoke either, and I'm not a fan of smoky environments, but asking for advice on how to "detox" after just one evening in a lounge? Seriously?
What "permanent damage" are you even talking about? You'd need years of systematic poisoning for that, not a single night in a room where people were smoking. 🙄
Your best bet is to just live inside a glass bubble and never leave—and definitely stay far away from those heavy smokers you seem so terrified of. 😲

Ugh, I can't stand it when people get this radical; it's exhausting. 🙄

Amanda Reed10 said:I think she's just being dramatic, honestly! 🙄

Look, I don't smoke either, and I'm not a fan of hanging out in smoky rooms, but asking for advice on how to "detox" after spending a single evening in a lounge? Seriously, wtf?
What "permanent damage" are you even talking about? You need years of systematic poisoning for that kind of thing, not one night in a room where people were smoking! 🙄
Best bet is to just wrap yourself in bubble wrap and stay indoors forever... and definitely stay far away from those dangerous smokers you're so terrified of! 😲

Ugh, I can't stand it when people get this radical. It's exhausting! 🙄

Maybe I misread the situation, but I got the impression she spends a lot of time in places like that... at least that's how her post came across...

But if we're talking about just an occasional visit to a smoky spot, then there really isn't any reason to panic...

In those cases, you'd probably be better off taking a walk through downtown Chicago or standing around a train station, or just sitting in rush hour traffic breathing in all that exhaust...

Melissa Castillo said:I absolutely cannot stand cigarette smoke. I find it revolting and honestly consider it one of the most unpleasant things I have ever had to endure. I try my best to avoid smokers in enclosed spaces, but occasionally I am "forced" to alternate between sitting down and frequently stepping out of the room just to escape the stench (last Saturday, I was stuck in a wedding hall) where over 50% of the adults were smoking. I practically walked out of the house smelling like an ashtray. I wish the solution were as simple as jumping in the shower, scrubbing myself clean, and washing my hair, and calling it a day. But then I remember the stinging eyes, the smell clinging to my hair, and clothes that feel too dirty even for a rag. 🙄
I know it sounds unrealistic, but does anyone have any advice for a post-exposure detox? Food? Drinks? Herbal steam inhalations... anything! I realize this might sound silly, given that inhaling smoke and its toxic compounds causes direct damage to lung tissue and is a serious matter, but is there any way to mitigate the effects of this exposure?

🙄

It’s like getting up from your coffee every five minutes just to breathe in some actual city air instead of exhaust. 🤣
I also can't stand it when smoke clings to my hair or clothes—it's gross—but that comment about cutting hands off is a bit much. Red flag!

🙄 🙄 🙄

Of course I’m being dramatic, but look, lady, I asked for advice from better-informed people who actually share my perspective. I wasn't looking for an answer like yours. I deal with smoke on a daily basis just passing through—whatever, it happens—but I try to live a life free from that and all its related garbage. I live that way as much as possible, and honestly, I can't even remember the last time I sat around getting lightly intoxicated by it.

You are completely underestimating the power of secondhand smoke. Attributing the fact that smoke contains arsenic, acetone, and similar "yummy" compounds and elements* to chronic ignorance and a phlegmatic attitude toward selfish smokers is my take. If it’s normal for you to inhale 70+ carcinogenic compounds, it isn't for me, and your post just solidifies my opinion on the matter. Your body is sending you signals that conditions are terrible—you feel nauseous, you cough, you sneeze, your eyes water—and you just ignore it??? WTF?!
Ugh, I hate it when people are so passive, it's absolutely terrible!

BTW, maybe check your own mental state when you take a metaphor like "I'd cut the hands off those stinking bastards" literally. Retarded bitch alert! Get lost if you don't have useful advice, K? Flaming is lame, and it's something a pissed-off 15-year-old would do after his uncle confiscated his Playboy.

The fact is, we’re being poisoned just walking down city streets—does that mean it's justified to poison ourselves further? Sure, we’re screwed by food, hormones, cosmetics, etc.; we drink impure water from plastic bottles, and we inject toxins from super-dangerous bacteria that have killed soldiers throughout history like the plague straight into our facial skin to make it tight like a Lombardi drum—so what does it matter if we passively smoke five packs of cigarettes in a few hours? Exactly.

Timothy Morgan38, I’ve heard about milk and how it's often mentioned as first aid when someone accidentally ingests some kind of poison while waiting for the ER to arrive. Even as a preventative measure, like in your cousin's case (though I don't know about the printing press incident, it makes sense—lead!)... I avoid it as much as I can, but some situations are more or less unavoidable.

* - benzene, phenols, cyanide, naphthalene, lead, ammonia, carbon monoxide, methanol, cadmium, formaldehyde, nickel...
(I wanted to list the negative effects of these and many other chemical compounds for you, but frankly, I'm neither your chemistry professor nor your mother, and I don't feel like lecturing you any more than I have to)

It feels rather futile to even attempt a response when everything I’ve said to you is simply being turned back around on me. 🤣
It's absurd.

If you choose to make a scene over nothing, then you're just being dramatic.
You would be much better off preserving your sanity and improving your quality of life than stressing out over which night you spent hanging out with smokers.
Take care!

Melissa Castillo said:I know it's a long shot, but does anyone actually have advice for detoxing after an accident?

Just go out and smoke it off. You'll feel it the next day. Honestly, I don't think there's a simpler or better way to handle it.

Melissa Castillo said:The reality is we’re already poisoning ourselves just walking down any street in the US. Does that really make it okay to take on even more? I mean, we're already dealing with junk food, hormone disruptors, toxic cosmetics—we're drinking water from plastic bottles and basically rubbing bacteria onto our faces that have been killing soldiers since the plague just to get skin as tight as a Lombardo drum. What difference does sitting near someone smoking five packs of cigarettes in a couple of hours actually make? It's all part of the same mess.

That's true... but you're really overthinking it. If you're just occasionally around smokers, you'd honestly be better off worrying about all those other things you mentioned. It would be a different story if you were forced to spend several hours with them every single day against your will...

Once you finally step out of that smoke-filled room, just take five deep, heavy breaths through your mouth—you know, that big "haaaa" kind of exhale (I can't exactly demonstrate the exact technique here, but I think you get the idea). If your clothes are absolutely drenched in it, just toss them straight into the wash; otherwise, hanging them up to air out might do the trick.

I completely empathize with how you feel, honestly, because I can’t stand cigarette smoke either. I am counting down the days until it’s banned from all public spaces, much like what we're seeing happening in several parts of Europe lately, so I can finally go out somewhere without coming home smelling like total garbage. Not to mention that a good chunk of smokers are just plain rude, acting like they couldn't care less about blowing smoke right in your face. 🙄

Honestly—just light a cigarette and you'll get used to the smoke eventually

Perhaps the absolute worst part is how most bars lack decent ventilation—leaving everything choked with smoke. They ought to be shutting those places down instead of letting people poison themselves.

As someone who used to be a smoker myself, I definitely get why the smell bothers people, but honestly, there’s just such a thing as going way too far with it, isn't there?🤷

I don't think anyone's overreacting here. If this were any other kind of toxic smoke, everyone would be running for cover, but since it’s a socially acceptable poison that supposedly benefits the country, suddenly we’re all just "being dramatic."

If someone shoved you into a tiny room with an open fireplace and started burning wet grass right in front of your face, with all that smoke filling the space, wouldn't you complain? Or would they just tell you, "Relax, you're being sensitive, it's just a little smoke?"

goddammit, Austin Baker86, just take some vitamins, drink plenty of fluids, and try to get some fresh air to clear out your lungs. Honestly, I don't have any better advice than that...

@ detoxing - I was operating under the logic that toxins leave through your skin and urine. I was basically walking around bloated because I was constantly trying to run to the restroom 🙂

2 Jerry Phillips2 - I dream about a day when there's a total ban on freaking smoke! It’s slightly better on trains now, but the worst was before summer—it was 115 degrees outside, we were trapped in a sweltering tin can of a train car, packed with people, smells (stenches), and zero air circulation. It was suffocating; breathing was impossible, and yet they were STILL SMOKING!!! How? That is a massive mystery to me!
Thank God someone finally decided to ban at least some of this crap, so there's actually some POINT in sitting in the non-smoking section of the car...
Washing clothes to get rid of the smell—that's impossible for me! After sitting in a cloud of smoke, it goes straight into the washing machine, though admittedly I rarely wear a shirt twice, let alone two days in a row. Having those stenches lingering in my closet is unthinkable...

@ exaggerating - My experience with being poisoned is purely subjective, and I couldn't care less about phrases like "you're overreacting." The night before, I had been snorting and my eyes were watering— the smoke bothers me and obviously, under those conditions, I am not feeling well.
Finally, it's common knowledge that tar and whatnot have residual effects—when I think about how my eyes were watery all evening, I start questioning the impact on organs like the lungs (BTW, blood is filtered in the lungs and then goes to the heart and distributes throughout the body, etc.)... am I really exaggerating? 🙄 🙄 🙄

@ regarding the constant question about daily contact with smoke - I'm not (like, 8 hours every single day), but there are often people next to me who blow out one, two, three, or more puffs. I can't control that, and smokers are usually selfish and indifferent enough that they don't care that there are people around them who are bothered by it. As for the other things Douglas Ramos2 quoted, I influence them as much as possible, thanks for asking 😉

2 Benjamin Murphy2 - I honestly think it's a disgrace that cigarettes are still socially acceptable. I'm not just talking about the level of Rhode Island—and I'm not implying its primitiveness—but even internationally. If a country were to issue a decree against smoking, the population would immediately start making a fuss. Personally, I'd be happy if smokers were taught a lesson with some fines (people only understand it when you slap them in the wallet) so that smoke stays in their dens—if you enjoy constant, idiotic poisoning, go ahead and smoke to yourself and knock yourself out.
The fact remains that the government profits from it, and as for a total ban on smokers, sadly, we can only dream because of them 😢

If we ever actually see a total ban on smoking in public spaces, it’s going to change the whole vibe of a night out. You might actually be able to head outdoors without smelling like an ashtray for the rest of the evening.
It isn't that I have anything against smokers, per se; it's just that being forced to breathe in someone else's smoke while sitting in the same room feels pretty disrespectful.

Melissa Castillo said:Jerry Phillips2 - I honestly find myself dreaming about a day when there's a total ban on damn smoke! Things have improved slightly on the Amtrak trains lately, but nothing compared to how bad it used to be before the summer heat hit—back then, it was 115 degrees outside, we were trapped in those sweltering metal tin cans they call passenger cars, packed with people, the stench was unbearable, and there wasn't a breath of fresh air to be found. It was a nightmare for anyone with allergies, just impossible to breathe, yet people would still light up right there!!! How? It remains a complete mystery to me!
Thank goodness someone finally thought to prohibit at least some of that nonsense, because it actually makes sense to sit in the non-smoking section of the car...
As for airing out my clothes—that’s just not an option for me! After sitting in all that smoke, everything goes straight into the washing machine, though admittedly, I rarely wear the same shirt twice, let alone two days in a row. The idea of having those smells lingering in my closet is simply unthinkable to me...

Not too long ago, I was traveling by train in the non-smoking area, and this guy decided to step out of his compartment into the hallway to light up. Of course, being the inconsiderate person he was, he didn't even notice that the compartment door was wide open and the smoke was drifting right inside. After a few seconds, I started feeling quite nauseous, so I stood up and slammed the door shut. The guy just turned around with this half-hearted shrug, acting like, "So what if I am?" 🙄
The women in the compartment seemed happy about it, but none of them would have dared to actually do anything themselves. Are people truly so passive that they'll just willingly poison themselves without lifting a finger?
It brings to mind the time my wife—who, I should mention, was quite active in the anti-smoking campaigns run by the School of Public Health—absolutely lost her temper at a man smoking on a train, leaving everyone else in the car completely stunned. 😍
She isn't the type to ever raise her voice, but that idiot just wouldn't take the hint. Honestly, when I think about the kind of people we have to deal with in this country, it's truly frightening...

Let’s take it step by step... back before everything changed, I guess... back in the day. It used to be totally fine to smoke even in hospitals. I remember when I was just a kid around '85, my old man would take me to the eye doctor for a checkup, and we’d just sit there in the waiting room while everyone smoked like crazy. Back then, you could light up pretty much wherever—on trains, in restaurants, at the dentist, in hospitals, at work, in offices... honestly, everywhere. I bet even a priest would've lit one up during Mass. But now? Now we live in this era of constant nagging about living "healthy." Everything gets under our skin. A red light stays red too long, so we lose it. Some old lady is slow slicing deli meat at the grocery store, and suddenly it's a crisis. Some guy tries to merge into traffic and nobody lets him in, and people lose their minds. Smoking bothers us. Even our own spouses bother us, and vice versa. We don't have time for our kids, yet we act shocked when they start acting out at school. We refuse to hire enough psychologists for schools, so instead, we just slap security guards on the doors. We complain about heavy school curricula, and if a kid's backpack is slightly too heavy, everyone starts whining. Back when I was growing up, I used to lug around a 20-pound bag and walk to school on Saturdays without a peep. I remember walking to class when it was negative 10 degrees outside, and we were actually happy. Nowadays, schools close if it drops below 50. We complain about being buried in debt from loans we took out without even thinking if we could pay them back. We live on credit and then blame the government or someone else, when really, it’s on us. What does the state have to do with our damn loans? We complain about picking the worst parts of Europe because we couldn't manage to grab the best stuff, so we skip vacations for two or three years and then wonder why we're getting sick. Everything bothers us. People have changed; nobody really gives a damn about anyone anymore. We walk down the street avoiding eye contact because nobody wants to see how much of a mess someone else is in. We do everything online instead of walking downtown, grabbing a coffee with friends, and paying bills on the way. Nobody wants their son to be a construction worker because it's "shameful," so then we get annoyed when the kid, who finished some business program, sits at home gambling all day instead of learning a trade that actually puts food on the table. It's pathetic. Our "must-watch" news is just political spending scandals and reality TV shows. We've lost all respect for the elderly and the sick. Some idiot parks right in the disabled spot in front of the bank just to save a minute, even though there's a paid lot 100 yards away. Everyone acts like a saint but would sell their soul for a buck. You want to buy an apartment? You have to hand over the cash before the building is even finished, let alone cleared for use. A dog walking past us on the sidewalk annoys us. Corruption drives us crazy, yet most of us are part of it—everyone has a "connection" to avoid a speeding ticket or a parking fine. We get bitter because we don't have a "connection" at the police station, so we write endless appeals hoping the case just expires. We refuse to admit when we're wrong, so we blame the whole system, only to turn around and criticize that same system later.
In this sea of complaining... look where you are with your little "cigarette smoke bothers me" attitude.
Maybe just shut up and find your own solution.
To quote a friend of mine—we might be few, but we're still pieces of work!

@Lisa Kern38 I find myself agreeing with much of what you’ve laid out, though I can't help but feel you're only looking at one side of the coin. There was another facet to it all—the fact that people were falling ill much younger back then, and life was often cut short far too soon.
Back in those days, you had a certain level of freedom to pursue whatever path you desired, provided you were a loyal member of the Party; if you weren't, well, prison was a very real possibility. Those days are long gone now. And let's be honest, corruption and fraud have always been part of the fabric of society, regardless of the era.
Nowadays, the absolute worst thing that can happen to a person is filing for bankruptcy, but there was a time when simply being on the wrong side of the political establishment meant they could just coldly decide to have you eliminated.
And then there were cigarettes. They were never actually good for you, of course, but people back then didn't quite realize the toll they took. There was this pervasive idea that smoking somehow made a man more masculine, when in reality, they were just slowly disintegrating from the inside out.
I could probably go on forever with examples like these, but I suppose this is what we call progress. Granted, people don't socialize nearly as much as they used to, but if that's the price we have to pay for everything else, then I suppose so.

Jerry Phillips2 said:@Lisa Kern38 I guess I agree with most of what you said, but you're only looking at one side of things. On the other hand, people used to get sick much younger back then, and they died way earlier.
Back then, you could basically do whatever you wanted as long as you were a member of the party, otherwise you ended up behind bars. Those days are gone. And honestly, fraud and corruption? That was always a thing.
Nowadays, the worst thing that can happen to you is going bankrupt. But back then, if the wrong people in power didn't like you, they could just have you killed without a second thought.
Cigarettes were never healthy, obviously, but people didn't realize that. They thought it made them look more masculine. In reality, they were just rotting from the inside out.
I could go on forever, really, but I suppose this is just called progress. Sure, people don't socialize as much anymore, but if that's the price we have to pay, then I guess so.

I wasn't even talking about communism or anything like that...
And what's this about people dying young back then???? Where are you getting that from.... today we have thousands of veterans who take their own lives... the age for heart attacks has shifted down by like ten years, so people are having them in their 30s now... and don't even get me started on depression and mental health issues.... murder rates have skyrocketed, and as far as I know, when someone gets killed in their 30s today, they're still considered young... whereas before, you might be facing a death sentence at 12, but today, you're out in a month for good behavior (tell me I'm wrong if I am)
I don't see any connection here, quoting you:"Nowadays, the worst thing that can happen to you is going bankrupt, but back then, if the wrong people in power didn't like you, they could just have you killed without a second thought." - what does that have to do with the stuff we're actually complaining about???
And this last part you said:"Sure, people don't socialize as much anymore, but if that's the price we have to pay, then I guess so.....I can't believe you actually think like that.... but whatever.... you just proved my point that everything is going to hell.