I have been immensely grateful that laws were passed to prevent smoking in public buildings; however it has not completely eliminated the problems created by smokers, for non-smokers. I grew up in a household where both parents smoked, resulting in my having asthma for several years. Once I was out on my own, I was able to avoid being around smokers. I have not used an inhaler for many years now, but from time to time I run across a situation where I am exposed to cigarette smoke. My lungs immediately begin to close up. Simply walking past a smoker, I can immediately smell the foul odor emanating from their clothing.
The motel that I have been working in is the least expensive motel in town. The building is supposed to be a non-smoking facility and each room has a no-smoking sign posted on the door. Unfortunately, since I work at the front desk checking guests in, I often have a difficult time. Smokers, who have been driving for hours in their cars with the windows up, reek of smoke. The smell is sometimes so strong that I struggle to breathe while I process their reservation. Some smokers do not respect the no-smoking rules so we can sometimes smell it seeping under their door into the hallway. Those who smoke in their rooms are charged a $150 cleaning fee. This; however, does not take care of the problem. The building itself has no windows that open. Since it is a two story building, it would seem that this would render it as non-compliant to safety standards should there be a fire.
A few days ago we had to clean a room that had been smoked in. The housekeeper sprayed something in the room that supposedly gets rid of the smoke, although most likely it only covers up the smell. She asked me to go into the room to see if I could still smell smoke, but I could only smell the chemical she had sprayed profusely. My lungs began to close up immediately and I had to exit the room as quickly as I could. I am also sensitive to most cleaners, air fresheners, dryer sheets, hair spray, dust, and many of the other toxic chemicals that are prevalent in our environment. Laws don’t stop behavior and many people view laws as another one to break. After arriving home from work last night, my clothing and my hair smelled of cigarette smoke – from spending 8 hours in a non-smoking building! My lungs were congested and they were burning when I went to bed – and they are still burning this morning. It is disheartening. Smoking is a problem that has merely been masked and not truly solved. My heart goes out to the children who live with parents who smoke.
