If you needed yet another reason to quit smoking, here it is.
I live in the US and it’s becoming more and more unusual in many places to see people smoking. As a result, I see fewer discarded cigarette butts than ever. Still not zero, but getting there.
It’s one of those big cultural shifts that has gone on in my life slowly but steadily. I recall my school bus driver would smoke doing his rounds, people smoking almost everywhere, even grocery stores. My family had lots of smokers, 3 out of my 4 grandparents smoked, all paid the piper, the habit led to their demise. Vending machines selling cigarettes everywhere. I recall it first was restricted on airplanes, with smoking sections separated with curtains, then in restaurants. A lot of it was ineffective and mostly symbolic, but then the biggest change was when California banned almost all indoor smoking in businesses, other states followed suit over the next decade. That combined with all the legal problems the tobacco industry had in the 90s has really caused a dramatic shift.
It’s the hardest thing about traveling to Europe for me. I love being in Europe, but after living in a part of the US with almost no smokers it is jarring to smell cigarette smoke everywhere on the streets there.
I notice fewer people smoke here as well tbf
I get nostalgic whenever I smell cigarettes, which is very rare these days.
“hmm, the smell of cancer, addiction and poverty!”
I think in Europe it’s just the smell of cancer, addiction, and Europeans
Is it just being replaced by other equally bad habits? I just found out that disposable vape pens are a thing. Those have plastics and electronics inside. I have no idea what the numbers there are.
Although vaping has become really big, there’s a lot more people quitting smoking than there are picking up vaping.
And vaping is not equally bad by a long shot. Cigarettes are far worse for you. Also, vaping isn’t nearly as annoying for the people around the user. I say all this as a cigarette smoker myself.
Those disposable vapes are disgustingly wasteful. Apparently you can take them apart and make them reusable or repurpose the battery, but very few people are going to mess with that.
there’s a lot more people quitting smoking than there are picking up vaping
Sadly, in Australia, this isn’t the case. We had very, very low smoking rates, and vaping has opened up the floodgates to new nicotine addicts, many, many of which never even tried cigarettes.
I’m pretty annoyed about it, to be honest.
Another generation who will reap the rewards of cancer, which will be a massive cost to society. Financially and emotionally.
I really hope we can stem the tide.
Weed is more or less legal and available everywhere in the US.
That’s not at all true.
I live in the U.S. too and I still see a ton here in Indiana, but we also apparently have a nicotine addiction epidemic here that no one talks about much.
As of 2022:
Nearly 29% of Indiana adults currently use tobacco. Combustible cigarettes are the most used tobacco product, followed by e-cigarettes.
I don’t know what the rate is here in Massachusetts, but it’s rare to have to smell cigarettes these days. I really think we’re more likely to (and my kids complain about the stench) encounter pot smokers these days. I can’t help but think that’s a good thing … but have to follow up each with an obligatory dad lecture on the health concerns with putting burning anything in your lungs
Edit: West Virginia, of course
I remember when I left Indiana 25 years ago that it was the highest per capita state for smoking, with Kentucky being number 2.
I’m in Western NY, but even in NYC it’s less than 9%. The state offers a lot of support for quitting, perhaps that’s why.
Aren’t cigarettes like $15 a pack there? That probably has something to do with it.
They’re $15 throughout the state. So they’re probably more in the city.
Reservation cigarettes negate those prices though.
Reservation cigarettes negate those prices though.
TIL that, on at least some Indian reservations in the United States, cigarettes are sold, sold at a lower price and sold to the general public. I could not find a reference on Wikipedia; all I found was a seemingly unofficial webpage.
The reason they’re cheaper is because they don’t need to charge tax on them. Regular cigarettes are the same price, but they have all of the taxes on top of that, which makes them cost three times as much.
That’s interesting there isn’t anything on wiki about it. It’s not a secret or anything.
I doubt there’s much support here at all and there was pretty much a red wave in this state in November, so there will probably be even less next year.
So what would you be your solution?
Why do I need a solution to recognize a problem? Or are you saying that many addicts is a good thing?
how harmful do you consider tobacco in the context of booze?
This post being about plastic waste caused by cigarettes, I’m not sure why you’re whatabouting alcohol.
It came up on the context of nicotine and how much people are addicted, yet i don’t see the uproar of the people who throw their empties into the river or on the road.
Because people were already aware of the problems there and, just based on comments, many people aren’t even aware that cigarette filters are plastic.
Do you bring up cigarettes whenever alcoholism is mentioned or is this only a one-way street?
Is it a contest?
No, i dont think so, i just don’t think its fair to demonize smoking if we celebrate drinking. everyone has a vice.
Both should be demonized.
When did I celebrate drinking? Both addictions are huge burdens on the healthcare system.
I love smoking. I know it’s killing me. I realize it stinks to other people. I never smoke indoors. I try my best to be considerate of others and never throw my butts on the ground.
But it’s getting a bit ridiculous the demonizing of smokers in the US. If I walk to the edge of a business’s property where there is literally no one and smoke a cigarette, I shouldn’t be harassed by cops or security to cross the street, go several blocks away, or similar.
LE are just assholes. I vape now but have dreamed of just hand rolling cigs ahead of time. Biodegradable, smells better, tastes better
Agreed on first point.
But when you hand roll do you use those tubes with a filter? I doubt it since you said biodegradable. The only times I hand rolled were when I was broke. A bag of Bugler with papers was like $2.50 back in the day. Roughly 50 cigarettes the way I rolled. But damn that shit killed my lungs. I’m sure a nicer brand would be better all around but no filter smokes fuck me up.
just light up a joint instead. it’s the greener alternative.
That’s crazy! I didn’t even realize they had plastic in them. Makes you wonder how many inconspicuous everyday items have the potential to become plastic waste.
Car tires are supposed to be bad. I remember reading each loses ~1kg in pulverised plastic dust over the lifetime?
Luckily, at least some of that is filtered from the air by people’s lungs.Oh, do you know what else? Paint. Apparently, a lot of studies didn’t account for microplastics that came from several types of paint that end up in the environment. Scary stuff.
Like that paint that they use on highways that needs to be reapplied every so often because it disappears
Well, it doesn’t just disappear. Microplastics. Highways are doubly bad for plastic waste.
Oh lord… That’s true. I never thought of that. And then we have studies like these. Do you have testicles? Well… You have microplastics in them.
I didn’t even realized they had plastic in them.
you didn’t WHAT THE F???
No, I didn’t. Why the animosity? Do you perhaps go around looking at cigarette butts thinking “Oh… those have the potential to become plastic waste?”
I have on many occasions cleaned up the discarded cigarettes stubs of some inconsiderate shithead smoker, yes. But even without that, unless you live in Singapore, you should have enough awareness about whats going on around you to notice a pattern after a couple of years that you never see cigarette stubs in any form of decomposition, only the fibers coming apart.
Congratulations, good Samaritan. Do you want a cookie for your efforts? I just hadn’t specifically thought about cigarettes, which I clearly pointed out in my original comment. If you’ve noticed, good for you. I hadn’t. But spare me the condescension.
It used to be cotton, didn’t it
Or even asbestos at some point lolI need some of those asbestos filters. My brand isn’t giving me cancer fast enough.
Asbestos may be - but no cigarette bud I have ever seen has decomposed. So definitely none of the millions I’ve had to see has ever been made of organic materials. And I would have a hard time believing that I simply never saw an organic cigarette bud in an intermediate decomposition stage. So they haven’t been used in any significant amount during my lifetime.
So many people don’t realise the reality of cigarette waste.
“It’s just one small butt” adds up to:
- 4.5 TRILLION butts littered globally each year - - Enough to circle the Earth 300 times if placed end to end
“It’s just paper and cotton” - NOPE:
- The filter is plastic (cellulose acetate)
- Contains over 15,000 plastic fibres
- Takes up to 14 years to break down
- Even then, it just becomes microplastics
“Rain will wash it away” - Yeah, right into:
- Storm drains
- Rivers
- Oceans
- Fish (they mistake them for food)
“At least it’s not toxic” - Actually:
- One butt can contaminate up to 40 liters of water
- Contains arsenic, lead, nicotine, and other toxins
- Kills fish, birds, and other wildlife
I knew about the first part and the third and fourth, but I had no idea that it also contributed so much to plastic pollution.
Yeah it’s crazy. It’s definitely not something most people associate with plastic.
Some exec at RJ Reynolds in the 40’s
“The damn government is making us take asbestos out of the filters. What can we put instead?”
“I know, how bout some space aged plastic!”
Aren’t microplastics from car tires more common?
Presumably plastic pollution is a superset of microplastic pollution
I thought so too, and maybe they are using a different metric in this article, but I couldn’t tell you since their source URL is a deadline…
This article is quite likely fake news. The first paper cited only says they’re the most common pollution on beaches.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935119300787
The metric is also “count”, not volume/mass, so not a very useful metric at all.
I thought tires were responsible for like 25% of micro plastics.
Never mind. I just read what I wrote, and realized they’re two different things.
I also had the idea that fishing nets were the most common sea plastic.
Just ban the filter. Let them smoke raw and unfiltered.
We should go back to using natural materials for filters, like asbestos. /s
Dislike smoking but realize that for addicts often public infrastructure doesn’t give you a lot of options for getting rid of butts. Seems like biodegradable butts should be mandatory. On the other hand I will lean into my horn if I see someone throwing butts out of their car. That is inexcusable - get an ashtray for your vehicle.
When I smoked I always put my butts in my pocket.
It’s not hard to pick up after yourself. Put the cig out, and instead of dropping it on the ground put it in your pocket. If thats too stinky carry a sandwich bag or dog poop bag for them.
Now that that’s out of the way, it’s interesting that birds have been using cigarette butts to line their nests. Turns out nicotine is a great miticide. Hopefully it’s not hurting them in the long run, which is why we should pick up our fucking garbage.
For many smokers, the world is their ashtray.
I wish that was the only need…Ive worked with people who didn’t want to walk 5 feet to the ashtray and prefered to flick their butts on the floor, at coffee shops with an outside area most people ignore the ashtrays and just flick it to the street…people are lazy
flicking your cigarette into the void was completely normal every place that i lived in the US. it isn’t thought about or frowned upon. it’s simply part of the ritual of having a cigarette.
I wasn’t aware cigarettes contained any plastic at all
The filters are basically all plastic except the paper around them.
Not a smoker, but I believe smokers are treated poorly, as are businesses that cater to smokers.
But my beliefs are really put to the test everytime I see a smoker throw their butt on the ground.
Not treated poorly enough.
Why should any human being be treated poorly?
For being disrespectful to the people around them.
You shouldn’t paint with such a broad brush. There are plenty of considerate smokers who try not to smoke around others and never litter our butts. Just like with so many other things, the people who are highly visible assholes give others a bad name.
That’s fair.
