Just had a 20 year old ask me “did you know restaurants used to have smoking sections?” and it really made me realize how much of a gap there is between us Zoomers.

@[email protected]
Giving me flashbacks. I was working under the table in the back of a bar during the time as a kid, and the smoke always irritated my lungs. The relief I felt when the law went into effect was palpable.

Though it began an annoying task because people decided it was just cool to drop their cigarette butts everywhere when they smoked outside. I had to sweep up hundreds of them every night from the street and parking lot…

@NullNowhere Why are people so allergic to ashtrays? It’s not that hard…

@fujiwara wait, indoor smoking in restaurants? That's a thing in 'murica? Did they have dedicated smoking rooms? I've only ever seen indoor smoking areas in bars and parking lots.

@fujiwara

Every time I enter a restaurant a ghost voice in my head says "Non Smoking please"

Times have sure changed

@fujiwara @NullNowhere It amuses me that even the most delinquent smokers in anime always bring their portable ashtray with them.
Though it started to make some sense after I discovered hundreds of cigarette butts carefully hidden in a sculpture outside an office building in Tokyo once.

@dopey_kun It isn’t a thing anymore, thankfully. Back when I was growing up though it was absolutely a thing. It was usually a separate section or the restaurant that was barely closed off from the main section, if it was at all. I remember being a kid, dragged to the smoking section by my mom and barely even being able to see my food :zerotwoevillaugh:

@fujiwara we aren't that far apart in age, so I'm gonna assume that just wasn't as common here (if at all) since I've never seen it.

I was more so exposed to smoking in the outdoor areas of restaurants. Most of my family on my father's side smoked, so they always chose tables that were outside whenever we ate out.

In retrospect, it probably isn't surprising that I've had so many lung problems :ChikaScared:

@dopey_kun It might have just been a strictly American thing, honestly. We had outdoor smoking sections too though! And honestly I think most places still do… Consider your country smarter than America!

I don’t know why family always dragged their kids to smoking sections though. I’m sure I also lost 10 years of my life from second-hand smoke… and first hand :ChoiMad:

@[email protected] @[email protected] As bad as this was, the part that really horrified me were the guys that would get mad at me for sweeping them up, because they'd be combing the wreckage looking for a few early butts they could pick up, relight, and finish smoking. ​:ChikaPain:​

@smochi @NullNowhere I unfortunately met a girl that did this…