Butts

I don't smoke, I never have - well, I did try it once, but I hated it. I've always hated it and it became a total dealbreaker for me with guys. I dated one guy who smoked, however I rarely saw him smoke and he rarely smelled like smoke - the thing is that I knew it was never going to go anywhere because of that one habit. There were PLENTY of other indicators that this guy was a loser, but it was that ONE that made me keep my heart guarded. It was a blessing in disguise because had I been "in" this relationship completely my heart would have been destroyed. He was one of many men who made me *hate* men.

Smoking is something that I do not understand and something that I knew that I could never live with. I've known so many people in my life that have quit, failed, quit, failed, etc. I figured that I did not want to take a chance if a guy said he would quit. I had no faith that he would not start smoking again, and it was something I could never put up with.

I have friends & family members who smoke cigarettes and while I still don't understand it, I don't place it as a dealbreaker on those relationships. It is just something that I knew I could never live with day to day. I don't like the smell, the look and I just don't get it.

To get to my point though, is the BUTTS. I was driving behind a car and during the course of our 20 minute ride I watched this person toss 3 butts out the window. It seems to be an un-written excuse that tossing cigarette butts out the window is not littering. This is something that I just don't get. Of the people that I know that smoke, I'd say roughly 99% of them would never toss their McDonald's trash or their gum wrapper out the car window, but almost all of them feel free and clear to drop a cigarette butt wherever they happen to be. ???

I did have one friend that would never throw her butts out - she said her daughter caught her and was devastated that she was littering. So, she stopped. However, her car was disgusting with an ashtray jammed to overflowing with butts. Ohhhhh, the smell!! So, I see the issue of not wanting the butts in the car - it can be down right nasty. (I wish her daughter's devastation with her actual smoking would've made her stop!)

Am I missing something, or is it socially acceptable to litter with cigarette butts?