Smoked Glass
Part of the nasty meeting on Sunday (that I'm so glad I didn't attend) was about the clubhouse going no-smoking. The new policy went into effect on May 1st. Yesterday was the first day I'd been to the club since it went into effect. The crowd was much smaller than usual, as expected. I think this will be a non-issue in a month or so. Yes, we'll lose some members/attendees, but we'll gain some, too. We already have had people return who stopped coming because of the smoke.
This is a contentious issue for some smokers. I've had the opportunity to make a few of them aware of a perspective they did not have. There are two clubs in our area and both were smoking. At both of them are the only meetings that occur everyday at 5:30 or 6:00 p.m., what I call the witching hour. That time right after I got off work was the most dangerous time of the day for me when I was trying to get sober and in my early sobriety. Anyone who cannot handle the smoke did not have much choice in "witching hour" meetings. Looking at the schedule, some meetings in other locations have been added, so that's a help. (1 @ 6 on Sunday, 1 @ 6 on Monday [women only], 2 @ 6:30 on Tuesday, 1 @ 6:30 on Friday and 1 @ 6:30 on Saturday)
The club will be closing in half of the front porch to make a "smokehole" sunroom for inclement weather. We've had the same thing at work for at least 10 years. Lordy! Lordy! Change is here! It must be the end of the world!!! I'm glad one of our clubs is now smoke-free. It's going to make the wonderful things that recovery clubs offer available to folks who chose/had to stay away due to the smoke.
FWIW, I was a cool ex-smoker for about two and a half years. I quit when I picked up my 90-day chip and thankfully have not smoked since. For the first two years, I had no problem being around smoke. Then, completely unexpectedly, my body changed and my sensitivity to smoke greatly increased. I started smelling it on my clothes even after just the slightest exposure. My eyes burn and my throat gets scratchy. My breathing can get strained enough to have to use my inhaler. I try not to be a bitch about it, but my tolerance for smoke is only so high. If I can't be around it, I won't be.
I know that a great no-smoking concern is for the newcomer. I think as long as smoking is legal in public or private gathering places, there will be smoking meetings available. However, times have changed and any smoker that's not dealt with not being allowed to smoke somewhere probably hasn't been out of their home in several years.
I have empathy for those addicted to nicotine and/or the habit of smoking. I was there. I also used to drink...
This is a contentious issue for some smokers. I've had the opportunity to make a few of them aware of a perspective they did not have. There are two clubs in our area and both were smoking. At both of them are the only meetings that occur everyday at 5:30 or 6:00 p.m., what I call the witching hour. That time right after I got off work was the most dangerous time of the day for me when I was trying to get sober and in my early sobriety. Anyone who cannot handle the smoke did not have much choice in "witching hour" meetings. Looking at the schedule, some meetings in other locations have been added, so that's a help. (1 @ 6 on Sunday, 1 @ 6 on Monday [women only], 2 @ 6:30 on Tuesday, 1 @ 6:30 on Friday and 1 @ 6:30 on Saturday)
The club will be closing in half of the front porch to make a "smokehole" sunroom for inclement weather. We've had the same thing at work for at least 10 years. Lordy! Lordy! Change is here! It must be the end of the world!!! I'm glad one of our clubs is now smoke-free. It's going to make the wonderful things that recovery clubs offer available to folks who chose/had to stay away due to the smoke.
FWIW, I was a cool ex-smoker for about two and a half years. I quit when I picked up my 90-day chip and thankfully have not smoked since. For the first two years, I had no problem being around smoke. Then, completely unexpectedly, my body changed and my sensitivity to smoke greatly increased. I started smelling it on my clothes even after just the slightest exposure. My eyes burn and my throat gets scratchy. My breathing can get strained enough to have to use my inhaler. I try not to be a bitch about it, but my tolerance for smoke is only so high. If I can't be around it, I won't be.
I know that a great no-smoking concern is for the newcomer. I think as long as smoking is legal in public or private gathering places, there will be smoking meetings available. However, times have changed and any smoker that's not dealt with not being allowed to smoke somewhere probably hasn't been out of their home in several years.
I have empathy for those addicted to nicotine and/or the habit of smoking. I was there. I also used to drink...
