Originally Posted by
Andante 
The attitudes and rules regarding smoking in public places have evolved because secondhand smoke is offensive and has been proven to be harmful, not because of any inherent disparity in how society views nicotine addiction versus alcohol addiction.
I doubt many non-drinkers find the smell of someone drinking - pleasant.
Secondhand smoke is visible. "Secondhand drinking" is not. The wives/husbands/children of the drinker are not sitting there being screamed at or ignored. They aren't left in the bar when the alcoholic disappears, nor are there any witnesses when they throw a punch through a wall or empty the family bank account.
So yes, it is how society views nicotine addiction vs alcohol addiction.