There are vices and then there are vices but the big daddy of all vices is Smoking. I really can’t decide whether smokers are more selfish or stupid? I mean who in their right mind would pay for destroying their own health? Are smokers ignorant or plain stupid? It is a known fact that there are more than 4,000 individual chemicals in tobacco and tobacco smoke. Among these more than 60 chemicals are known carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). Manufacturers do not usually give out information to the public about the additives used in cigarettes but HELLO? What use is your education (on which your parents have probably spent a very big part of their earnings) and Internet? If you have a death wish then go and lie down on the train track or jump from a building or in the sea or something. Why do you wish to endanger life of other people due to your vice?
But then I know what would be the counter argument of a smoker (Most of them are defensive about their bad habit). He/She would say, “Do you really think its only smoking that destroys health? What about other vices like chewing tobacco or drinking or even overeating for that matter? What about the various toxins, chemicals and hormones that contaminate our food and water? What about the polluted air that we breathe in our cities?” To them I say that it is true that other vices are equally harmful but can we really help it if we have to smell the polluted air or eat the contaminated food. There are some things which are beyond our means. Of course we can try to reduce our carbon footprint and eat more organic food but what we can definitely do is to stop vices like smoking which not only pollute the environment and the smokers’ lungs but also the lungs of innocent people who are forced to be passive smokers. 
That brings me to the Selfishness of smokers. They smoke everywhere. On the road, in restaurants, malls, pubs, coffee shops, queues, bus stops, railway stations, airports and even in buses and trains sometimes. They do not care that their smoking might be dangerous for or repulsive to others. Every country has its fair share of selfish smokers. I have seen people light up in presence of babies and pregnant women and these are not people from the so called third world, uneducated countries but people from the so called first world or educated western countries. Equally irresponsible are the parents who expose their kids to second-hand smoke.
Before lighting up has a smoker ever looked around to see if there is a baby, a child, a pregnant woman or an elderly person present or for that matter any person who might be allergic to smoking? NO NEVER. Now are these people not selfish? When a person chews tobacco or drinks that person is harming himself/herself or his/her immediate family but a smoker harms all of the people around himself/herself.
WHY? That’s the question? Why should I pay the price of someone else’s stupidity or selfishness? Why should my baby, my nephew or niece, my parents, my family, friends and neighbours pay the price? What is our fault? Why should the smokers’ kids, spouses, parents, friends or neighbours pay the price? What is their fault? Do smokers really think that they look cool or suave when they smoke? NO they don’t. They look and smell disgusting. 
Smokers please look around you. Maybe today that baby, that child, that pregnant woman or that old lady is not related to you but tomorrow it might be your son or daughter, nephew or niece, spouse or parent. Please have some consideration for the feelings and preferences of others because who knows what shape your smoke will take for you tomorrow. 
Every person has a right to breathe in a smoke free environment so please don’t hesitate to tell a smoker if his/her smoke is bothering you or your loved one. It is your right. Remember SECONDHAND SMOKE KILLS. As for the verdict, though I know for sure that smokers are both stupid and selfish, I still can’t decide if smokers are more stupid or selfish so if you can please let me know.
Some links to let you know the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke:
http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/nicotineinhaler/a/cigingredients.htm
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_2X_Cigarette_Smoking.asp
http://www.nsra-adnf.ca/cms/
http://www.no-smoke.org/getthefacts.php?id=13
http://whyquit.com/whyquit/BryanLeeCurtis.html
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35422
