Environmental smoke has been scientifically determined to contribute to a host of diseases in people who don't smoke, themselves. This helps to explain why many US businesses have declared themselves tobacco-free zones--one of the very few environmentally friendly actions that seems to be actually winning national support over here.Originally posted by Minerva:
<STRONG>After a few years, I realised I get cold with nasty cough each time going back home. So, I solely put the blame on my dad's 20-a-day smoking at home.</STRONG>
Oddly enough, there was little sign of it in Central Europe, when we went to Hungary this fall. Old people didn't smoke, but otherwise, most of the two cities we stayed in for three weeks (Budapest, and Kecskemet) were smokers' paradises. Chain smoking was common. I can guess that the inability to afford cigarettes before the 90's has affected the Hungarian mentality like a person who's starved for years, and now can eat all the food he or she wants. They go crazy.
We did find a few smoke-free restaurants in Budapest, but that was largely because of the Anglo-American clientele, who are beginning to realize that the city's a great place to visit. The Czechs, Slovaks and Poles are said to have the worst smoking habits of all--even the Hungarians laugh at them. And oddly enough, those three nations also have large geographical areas that are considered off-limits to travelers, because of the exceptionally high pollutants in the environment (thanks largely to badly arranged mining and refining). Coincidence?
