Nicotine addiction

No Aku Birds.
Not my point!

I’m always a bit surprised by Europe’s comparatively high smoking rates, but smugness about the superiority of home is never a good look.

(And those nicotine-addicted Portuguese are mortified to witness California’s astounding homelessness.)

No Aku Birds.
Not my point!

What is your point? Do you want Portugal to be like California? It's part of the culture and is actually more prevalent in Spain, Germany, France, Greece and Bulgaria to name just a few. I can't stand tobacco smoke either but I accept that it's going to be an aspect of when I travel to most parts of Europe however I genuinely manage to enjoy a meal outside with no or limited amount of second hand smoke and considering most of my travels are within Spain I'd say that's quite good going. If it is too bad I'll opt to sit inside or go elsewhere.

EU laws are becoming effective at reducing smoking rates however there is a pushback from a number of countries over laws that are deemed too prohibitive. I don't foresee a complete ban on smoking in all public places in much of the EU for some time so it's something that will just have to be accepted as part of travel. In England plans to outlaw smoking in all public places (indoors and outdoors) by 2030 have been pushed back to 2037 in part due to the high prevalence of smoking amongst poorer elements of society (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/feb/25/england-predicted-to-miss-target-of-becoming-smoke-free-by-2030).

Wow! I find it amazing how people jump on a statement and try and make an argument out of it! Please just move on!

I don't anyone is trying to create an argument - they are merely pointing out that it's not a good practice to criticize another country's customs. That's where the term "The Ugly American" came from.

I'm sure you were not trying to do that, but as annoying as cigarette smoke is, there are ways to avoid it in Europe. Just pick your outdoor tables carefully and note the direction of the wind. 😊

I’m always a bit surprised by Europe’s comparatively high smoking
rates

This is one of the areas where you can't just talk about Europe, it varies a lot on the continent and in general increases further south and east. But Portugal is one of the countries with the least amount of smokers, at least based on prepandemic numbers.

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/edn-20211112-1

Of course, Mardee, thank you! I was not criticizing another countries culture and customs. I do choose my tables and always try to be up wind. It’s difficult to do. I just wish people would not jump to conclusions/assumptions. There are many states in the US with the same smoking culture and I have a problem there too. My younger sister smoked like a chimney and I couldn’t step foot into her house. Sadly, she died recently due to complications from years of smoking.

Diane, I've been in that predicament a number of times. Sometimes the restaurant indoors is completely full or is much too warm. It's also been wiser to eat outdoors during the pandemic. It can be impossible to find a seat where smoke doesn't waft your way.

I've also lost a number of loved ones to various illnesses directly attributed to cigarette smoking....and just second hand smoke. It's really not wise to put ourselves in unnecessary clouds of risk.

Silas
It is a predicament no matter where one is in the world and made worse by the pandemic. I’m sorry for your loss! Thanks for sharing.

I think you got the responses you did because the word choice, as well as your colorful description, could be perceived as harsh: addiction, amazing, their tiny coffee, cigarette in hand, it ruins= they ruin, thankful for CA. And nicotine, the substance/drug.

"A+" for descriptive, colorful writing, at least. As a nurse, you do know what you're talking about. I'm sorry it has interfered with eating outside. We don't seem to have that problem where I am. I almost never notice cigarette smoke.

Edit: a demi-tasse would hold a café au lait or cappuccino but the tiny ones are espresso cups.

Bets
I would have written “demitasse” but couldn’t think of the word at the time I wrote tiny.

Bets is quite right. Tone matters in written communication as much as it does in verbal. And when writing, one’s desired tone can be much harder to convey properly.

I lived in Los Angeles for several years, and like the "original poster" I was thankful for the state's anti-public smoking laws. If you could evade the drive-by shooters, the gang-bangers, and the riots, survive the traffic and the smog, and find your way off the San Diego Freeway once you had gotten on it, you could look forward to a smoke-free restaurant meal.

Very succinctly put Faedus and a example of how nowhere is perfect and every country, city, town and village has its own problems, issues and negatives. We just have to take the rough with the smooth and enjoy the positives. That being said there are places where the negatives far outweigh the positives and those places are off my travel list.

big government has eradicated pollution for the most part (when was
the last time a river caught on fire?)

If your definition of no pollution is "the rivers are not on fire", you might have a set the bar a bit low.

have we veered off the topic?