There is SO much that I love about Paris but the smoking here is completely insane. I had hoped things would have improved over the last 10 years with all of the information on the health risks. It seems sometimes like EVERYBODY* smokes. We can't sit at an outdoor cafe very long without smoke wafting over us. For the last few weeks I keep asking myself "how do these folks rationalize this?!?". This a health epidemic! The answer seems to be more about the french culture than about health. Many french seem to believe that the smoking is necessary for socializing: sitting for long hours chatting would not be possible without the cigarette. In an article I read one woman claimed that smokers are deeper thinkers. Absurd, of course, but it reflects a deep-seated feeling that smoking has some actual value in french society.
The French now have laws that prohibit smoking in public places so it's a lot easier to escape the fumes. However, it's amazing how much it is still in your face when you walk down the street. Not only that, the cigarette butts are everywhere.
*I'm trying to reconcile my experience with the statistics. When I google the statistics it would appear that 20% of american adults smoke and 30% of french adults smoke. 20% american vs. 30% french. Doesn't seem that different. Perhaps the american approach of treating smokers like pariahs makes them less visible?
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