Cigarette butts.

Many smokers are PIGS when it comes to their filthy butts. They don't want to put them in their pockets because they stink so just throw them away to get rid of them. What a foul attitude!!
I saw a beautiful early 20's blonde smoker stub her butt (cigarette butt that is) in the outdoor garden of the Dee Why Grand shopping centre and them just drop it in the garden. I would like to drop a load of my rubbish in her front garden!!!

I believe that the filter tip cigarette should be banned on environmental grounds.
Its plain and obvious that, an insufficient percentage of smokers can be trusted to do the right thing.

These buts are poisonous, and they do not break down in the environment.

And you talk about the few.......when it comes to smokers, it is the few that actually can be bothered to dispose of their buts properly.

If it was a problem of the few, we would not see the filthy poisonous stubs all over the place.

Unfortunately we are seeing more smokers taking up outdoor work and leasure activities because in so many places they can no longer smoke.

cheers

What you have to remember smoking legal cigarettes is an addiction, people who smoke say it isn't but ask them to stop for 24hrs and see what response you get...... and if the do; what happens.

We have one person who works for us who smokes, started of as a very conscious smoker but now he smokes more and leaves butts and ash around the place which really annoys us...... so we enforced the smoking ban.

There are some considerate smokers out there but the minority doesn't make it better for the majority who aren't considerate.

Smokers seem to be their own worst enemy and are the first to be VERY vocal when restrictions are placed on them. Like the gun groups in the USA.

The good thing is what was once fashionable and macho is fast becoming a sinned enjoyment and people who smoke are frowned upon as being weak.

Two things turn me off, one - jumping into someones vehicle that smells like an ashtray and two - sales people or people who deal with the public who stink.

And yes it is a disgusting addiction!

And not only is it a disgusting habit, smokers are thieves. And employers who allow them to steal their time are just as bad.

I used to work for the Australian National University. I'm a non smoker.

I brought it to the attention of my supervisor that smokers were stealing from their employer but it was thrown in the too hard basket.

Why?

Let's take a smoker who has 1 per hour. And this takes them, with leaving the office, walking outside, smoking, a quick chat with another smoker, and return to the office, say 10 minutes. Let's say this occurs 6 times a day.

That's 1 full hour per day of time stolen from the employer. Or 5 hours per week. Or 230 hours per working year (52 weeks less leave).

Extra time off for the smoker of about (and remember, this is a light smoker) 6 weeks in the year.

It would be interesting to mount a case for discrimination.

I don't know of too may job descriptions that give you a bleep load of additional time off but only if you're a smelly littering drug addict.

It goes further than just butts the other day on the news Glenelg beach looked like the local tip empty plastic drink containers and all sorts of rubbish

every one seems to be doing it not just smokers

Not sure what is worse plastic bottle or cigarette butts

smokers dont see butts as rubish- they dont even see butts at all.

we have smokers areas with special bins at work.....
the bins are empty and butts are piled up all around them on the ground.

on any day you can see them finish the ciggie and toss it on the ground next to the bin.
I asked one about it one day and he didnt know what I was talking about- didnt see any butts and had no idea where the butt he just smoked went (yes he was serious)

So yesterday was "pick on Scruby Day" and today it's "pick on Smokers Day"
What will it be tomorrow, "pick on dunny paper day" or "pick on Landrover Day"
There are more important thing in this world to worry about.

I agree with your comments about cig butts lying around but look at the empty cans and bottles, the ever present disposable nappy and dunnypaper before you pick on smokers.

AND No I'm not a smoker now nor am I a reformed smoker, I'm just a smoker who chooses not to smoke.

Disco.

Yr right disco driver.
We shouldn't pick on those who make it worse for the rest of us.

Right....

Without getting into any debate about smoking and smokers, I too am disgusted to see the remnants of cigarette butts along walk trails where they seem to stay for ever.

Regardless of the litter - take it in, take it out. That goes for the ladies too who leave tissues in the bush.

Motherhen

As an ex smoker I can sympathise with how hard it is for inveterate smokers to quit. One constructive suggestion might be for all tobacco retailers to be compelled to sell little ciggie but holder receptacles. I used to use camera film containers but you pretty well can't get them any more. If there was a simple and convenient way to stash the butt, with a message printed on the outside of the container, we might have a change in behaviour.
After all look at the progress made with dog poo in public parks.
I have no answer for dunny paper in the bush, which is a scourge.

After years of being fed by the media and campaigns, smokers are now an uncool soft target, clearly. We can call them pigs, thieves, polluters, etc. etc. And throw numbers and percentages about who spreads butts and who doesn't: it's all good. I'm now waiting for an equally huge campaign against alcohol, since I see far more empty stubbies and cans than butts everywhere I go. And not to mention the important effects of alcoholism on society...

It's easy to pick on one particular thing whether it be smokers, toilet paper, beer cans/bottles, nappies etc but they are all part of one HUGE problem in our society and that is IGNORANCE. How on earth do we go about fixing that?

You can report people for throwing their buts or any other rubbish to the EPA on 131555. Just keep the details time, car rego, location etc. I think they get a warning first up and a fine 2nd time around. I regularly call them about it. Ciggy buts out the windows of cars are probably my biggest hate!!!

Hillbilly

The improper butt disposal problem could be changed with a simple exchange system.
You want a new pack of ciggies, just take in the corresponding number of butts to trade in.
The few seconds taken by the retailer could be covered by a time and disposal fee taken from the current tax rip off.
This could also be introduced with a proper syringe exchange.
The ultimate, but long term fix, would be to conduct a DNA test on everyone. Then any dumped butts, drink cans, syringes. dunny paper or nappies etc. could be tested, and the cost of the test and monetary fine sent to the offender.
A low percentage but still too many smoking drivers just flick the butt out the window with no concerns about fires. The argument that the car not having ashtrays seems pretty poor as the same cars don't have toilets, yet the drivers don't crap out the window. (or most of them don't)
If "big brother" rules are what is needed to stop this blight, I'd be willing for experts to implement a secure system.
Taken one step further, during the DNA test a GPS tracker could be injected. Then when any major crime occurs, the authorities would know who was in the area and clear up police time wasting.
Taken two steps further, the GPS tracker could have a small quantity of explosives added. Then in police chases, cops could just program in the ID number of the culprit and at the best time, blow their little brain stem apart. Instant chase stopper with little concern about innocent parties being killed in high speed chases.
That would at least stop those crappy TV programs showing multi-repeat views of chases and crashes.

Our Supreme Leaders could legalize Electronic cigarettes and Swedish Snus,which are 99% safer alternatives for nicotine junkies like myself and the problem would be solved.