I'm sick of smelling like I just came from a bar!

[Zube]

Sorry, but I have to vent. The "Yana Service Club" in my area, which hosts 24 (24!!) AA meetings a week, only offers ONE non-smoking after regular working hours (5pm or later). I am sick to death of coming home and smelling like I just came from a bar!! Why is it so difficult to put the cigarette away for just one hour, or step outside to smoke? And now a "new" rule is in effect, "do not open windows because the air-conditioner is running"...really?

And these are the same people who encorage others to stay away from any "mood altering" drug. Hypocrites. You want to see a mood altered, try bringing up the topic of switching meetings to non-smoking during a group conscience. Or listen to somebody sing the glories of sobriety as they chain smoke through the ENTIRE meeting.

AND...AND...the smoking gets WORSE based on the TOPIC of the damn meeting. If the meeting is about gratitude, not so much smoke, but RESENTMENTS!?, Forget about it!!

Sorry for the vent. I smoked for 25 years. Gave it up 2 years ago. I'm sick of smoking everybody else's. I know, I know...go to a non-smoking meeting.

Or I could start smoking something nasty like cloves, or Big FAT Cigars, or BIG FAT CLOVE CIGARS!!!... puff, puff puffin' away... Blowing my smoke in somebady else's face.

UUUUHHHHGGGGG!!!!
Zube

[stillsleeping]

Clove cigars - nice!

Good rant dude. I quit 4 years ago, so I know your pain. 'Cept England's a no-smoking zone now, so everywhere has clean air. It's pretty cool actually. After the fricken fuss that everyone kicked up

[sugarbear1]

Maryland has no smoking. Most people have given it up. Sorry about your area. Vent away!!!!

just don't drink over it.

Hugs,

[Db1105]

When I got sober there was only one or two no smoking meetings. Now there are zero smoking meetings where I live. I imagine it will be that way everywhere in the next few years. Your best bet is to find no smoking meetings because smokers will not stop on their own.

AA singleness in purpose means that we can only help others recover from alcoholism. Period. I was one of those hypocrites when I first started getting sober and smoking was a tremendous help when dealing with the urge to drink or stress.

[Justfor1]

I agree zube. I was so happy when my state passed the indoor law regarding smoking. The local AA clubhouse use to be so thick with smoke I could barely breath due to asthma. I enjoy & am able to concentrate more on meetings in a smoke free environment. It is interesting that I also find that members who oppose all kinds of medication are also usually the heaviest smokers!

[DayTrader]

I dig it Zube...... seems like maybe God's using your resentments against smokers to shine some light on how much better off those meetings would be if only they'd run 'em your way.....which is really just a backdoor view into how we like to play God yet it doesn't work......which probably leads to some action of you branching out and finding "the" meeting(s) you're really supposed to be at vs the one's you're going to.



.....of course, the "harsh" tone is in jest. Sometimes I needed to hear things "that way" before they sunk in.

I think venting is great because it's usually TOTALLY honest and gives us a LOT to work with. Sometimes I'm too "smart" to get really honest with myself or you all......but if something gets me really mad, I may just drop the "good AA" act long enough to vent and let something come to light that I haven't noticed before.


Go find some new meetings though, really. One of a couple things will happen: 1. you're realize those smoking meetings are wooooonderful, so long as you can deal with the smoke 2. you'll realize they were AWFUL and should have found new meeting X or Y a long time ago when the smoke first started bothering you.

[bryangt]

I thought most states had No smoking enforced. I remember those smokey meetings of years ago though...had to shower after a meeting so I wouldn't go to bed smelling of a ringside seat at the fights!

[candie]

I don't know how you cope!!It's bad enough here in the UK walking in and out of meeting through a smoke smog.I think i'm one of about 3 out of 30ish people who don't smoke, and I hate the stench in my hair and on my clothes.If people smoked inside here I wouldn't go to meetings at all

[heath480]

Oh I remember the meetings with the smoking,awful.I went to a meeting in Spain once, one side of the table for smokers and the other non-smoking!


So glad about the smoking ban here.

[stairs]

Ha, that's how the Alano club nearby used to be except it was one side of the room was smoking and the other non. No windows or fans.

I'm a smoker but not a big fan of public smoking anywhere and usually wait until I get home....though there are exceptions!

[yor5150]

I remember the days when I would need a shower after attending meetings. Then the smoking restrictions came about and most meetings no longer allow smoking in the rooms. I no longer go to the ones that do.

I also stopped going to on meeting where they would open several of the doors facing the same direction and the flock of smokers would go out during a break and smoke.... with a lot of it drifting back into the room.

I'm lucky to have found other non-smoking meetings to go to... I hope you find some as well. IF there were only smoke filled rooms to go to I would do it though.... it would be an opportunity to practice acceptance as I can't go without meetings.

Best of luck.

[totfit]

A non-smoking meeting is for non-clean alcoholics. It is total nonsense. You can't be spiritually fit and smoke on an addictive substance that kills more alcoholics than alcohol.

[Lily]

I too am an ex-smoker and up until last July they still allowed smoking indoors. ugh! I hated it.... my winter coat would reek, my hair, clothes, etc. I was so thankful when they passed the law and replaced the carpeting!

[Pigtails]

So in some states AA members who meet in private club buildings are prohibited from smoking???

My state is smoke-free in terms of restaurants/bars... you have to be classified as a "cigar bar" to be able to allow people to smoke, but there are only a couple in my city so pretty much every bar, restaurant, and obviously public buildings etc. are smoke free.

But at AA meetings held in rented private club buildings, the government can't ban smoking. So some meetings here are designated on the list as "non-smoking" and others as "smoking." Sometimes the list doesn't show the designation so I've shown up at some smoking meetings, which bug me because I've never smoked and hate the smell of smoke. HOWEVER I believe in freedom of choice and if some people want to have smokers' meetings, I say have at it. I just prefer -- and, now that I am familiar with the different meetings, make it a point -- to attend the non-smoking meetings!

[Pigtails]

Originally Posted by totfit

A non-smoking meeting is for non-clean alcoholics. It is total nonsense. You can't be spiritually fit and smoke on an addictive substance that kills more alcoholics than alcohol.

"Non-clean" alcoholics?? Okay then someone who eats too much sugar is not spiritually fit, and someone who is lazy/undisciplined... there are so many things that people do and put into their bodies that aren't great but I think it's unfair to judge because no one is perfect but as long as they have a desire to stop drinking, they are welcome at AA. Live and let live.

[Taking5]

It appears help is on the way effective 7/1/12:

Indiana passes statewide smoking ban, exempts bars | Reuters

[Taking5]

Originally Posted by Pigtails

But at AA meetings held in rented private club buildings, the government can't ban smoking.

Not true, the local government can and has banned smoking in any public buildings. This includes private meeting places for rent. In many CA cities you can smoke in your own home, and that is it.

There is no *right* to smoke. The government could outlaw tobacco tomorrow, just like any other substance (not that I advocate this - prohibition doesn't work).

[Db1105]

Originally Posted by totfit

A non-smoking meeting is for non-clean alcoholics. It is total nonsense. You can't be spiritually fit and smoke on an addictive substance that kills more alcoholics than alcohol.

It's not the same. Many non alcoholic people smoke nor is nicotine addiction showned to be a spiritual malady. I know growing up most of the priest I knew smoked.

Until they banned smoking, I used to hit an occasional smoking meeting and enjoy a cigar. Now that was a spiritual experience.

[Justfor1]

Originally Posted by totfit

A non-smoking meeting is for non-clean alcoholics. It is total nonsense. You can't be spiritually fit and smoke on an addictive substance that kills more alcoholics than alcohol.

I agree. Smoking is a serious health risk & don't understand why one would quit drinking & not smoking. I use to enjoy smoking crack but never got into cigarettes.

[jojoba]

If they want to smoke, and the club allows smoking, then that must be God's will. Smoking is a lot less dangerous than alcohol anyway. Find another meeting where smoking is not allowed if it bothers you.