Welcome back to July's UBC. This month I'm going to be talking about cultural differences between Switzerland and the USA.
Today we have to talk about smoking.
Unfortunately in Europe this is still going on almost everywhere, even though many countries have made considerable efforts to prevent smoking in public places.
Let me ask you a question:
What do the following dates have in common?
- Dec 11, 2005
- May 1, 2010
- June 1, 2019
Answer: They are major milestones in Switzerland’s (non) smoking culture.
Backstory:
The 2005 date is when SBB (Swiss Railway Company) got rid of "smoker's wagons".
Up to that date there would be wagons equipped with red seats, where you were allowed to smoke. The green seating meant non-smoking, Of course there would always be passengers basically jumping on the departing train. Smoking cigarette still in their hands, they would walk through the crowded green department to get to their red seats, where there'd be typically enough empty seats.
In 2010 the federal law against passive smoking finally came into effect, meaning no more smoking in the workplace as well as in public spaces such as restaurants, clubs, shopping centers, cinemas, airports and schools (really? I can't remember any of my fellow students smoking in class!?)
Prior to that you'd shower, get dressed up for a night out and end up coming home throwing all your smelly clothes in the hamper. Restaurants were the worst. Imagine you're hungry, you're waiting for your delicious meal only to experience your fellow patrons at the next table lighting up. Yuck!
Some restaurants had non-smoking sections. You'd walk through a cloud of smoke to get to your table, but at least your neighbours would leave your immediate air space clean.
As of June 2019 there is no more smoking at railway stations, especially platforms. Or so I thought. I don’t use public transportation very often, but when I do, I'd certainly appreciate a smoke free experience.
Over the course of 2018 four different train stations were part of a pilot project. Apparently things went well, and it was communicated that as of 2019 it smoke free train stations were going to be rolled out nationwide.
Sadly the main reason to push for smoke free train stations was not to make it more healthy and convenient for the passengers. It was in order to save cleaning costs.
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| Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash |
So what I thought was going to happen:
There'd be promo people, not students, more like senior security guard types, in yellow vests, handing out flyers that say "as of June 1st, there's no more smoking at the train stations, thanks for your cooperation and understanding. Please refer to the maps that display designated smoker zones." (Which would be in confined areas, far, far away from the main non smoking population.)
There'd be posters all over that say something along the lines of "we're cleaning up the air for everyone, thank you for not smoking at this railway station."
Now of course I was expecting too much. After all we're in Switzerland.
Instead here's what has been done:
Tons of trash bins with giant ashtrays on top have been set up all over the place:
At the entrance of the train station, which makes sense. An unimposing sign says "thank you for disposing of your cigarette here."
OK, catch flies with honey. No need to slap forbidden signs all over if people get the message.
Again at (tr)ash bins right at the front of every platform. For those who didn't think we meant business.
Keep walking on the platform. About every 15 meters (50 feet) there's yet another ashtray.
Are you kidding me? So they're basically still smoking everywhere!?
They achieved exactly what they were aiming for: not having to pay for people who clean up the cigarette butts on the platforms and train tracks.
Never mind the passenger's well-being. Thanks for nothing.
This is a typical example for how things in Switzerland work; nobody wants to piss off certain groups of citizens, and instead they agree upon a compromise. Which will piss off other groups of citizens.
You may know me as a very agreeable, peace loving person, and I am. The fun stops at smoking, though. I am a bit of a hardliner there.
What probably bothers me most is that "the smokers" (and there are really nice people among them, and I have friends who smoke, and I love them dearly, don't get me wrong) think it's their human right to smoke when and where they please.
- At the entrance of the mall.
- Right in front of the main office door.
- In parking garages, where the air quality isn't great to begin with..
- In front of clothing stores where shop keepers have their teaser racks.
- Next to food booths.
- In non-smoking hotel rooms. Yes, it happens. They pay a fine, but the next guest has to stay in the smelly room because even after "deep cleaning" the stench doesn't entirely go away.
- On playgrounds
- At public swimming pools
- At concerts and other outdoor venues - happened last night at the Taylor Swift concert where 50,000 fans were crammed together. Annoying, disgusting and very inconsiderate!
- In their car - which is fine, until they throw their (cigarette) butts out of the open window.
I could go on, but you get the picture. Even though other European countries are more progressive on the subject, they have similar problems, for example France.
So the smokers say: "it's forbidden everywhere, where the hell should we go?"
And: "quit the effing patronizing already. After all we're financing your pension."
Haha, yes, that's true.
In Switzerland cigarettes are heavily taxed, and parts go in fact towards the state old pension.
These days a pack of cigarettes costs CHF (=USD) 9 to 10, and 60% of this price consists in tobacco tax.
On the other hand: Us non-smokers (67% of Swiss citizens, mind you) finance their lung cancer treatments with our health insurance premiums. Plus we cover for them at work when they take lenghty smoke breaks and when they suffer from yet another common cold.
So to wrap it up: smoking is a nasty, unhealthy habit. If you want or have to maintain it, do it where others aren't bothered by it.
Needless to say, I so appreciate the non-smoking culture in the US! Our politicians should consult yours on how to do it!
So true! It's not for the health and safety of the people. And they do want to continue getting the tax revenue for the pension-and so does everyone else. The real problem that Switzerland needs to tackle is how to raise revenue from a different source. Sad. I feel for you!
ReplyDeleteA lot to say about smoking. I used to smoke but don't anymore. The story about the ashtrays everywhere was very interesting. So technically smoking is still allowed.
ReplyDeleteI had family members who smoked and I was never a fan as a kid. But as I grew older, I limited my contact with smokers -- I didn't like smelling like an ash tray. Medical school did not help my growing annoyance with smoking. I will admit that some girlfriends and I would break out cigars during my last year of residency -- never to smoke but to try to be grown and sexy. We got some great pictures! LOL No one I spend significant time with now smokes, so that part of my life is over.
ReplyDeleteI have never smoked and the smell of smoke is so disgusting. But even more so is the trash that is left from the butts. It has slowed down in the US but know everyone, including kids, vape. That too is almost as disgusting as smoking especially when the exhale a large puff of smelling what ever it is.
ReplyDeleteTamara, you raise powerful points. How well I remember when smoking *inside* offices was permitted, and smokers felt entitled to be bitchy to those who didn't like smoke. I remember a supervisor asking me, "why don't you just say you're allergic to it?" Actually, it's poison. And why should I stink when I get home from work? Thank God I've worked for myself in my own office for many years now. And at office buildings in Arizona, you have to go 50' or something from the doors, to smoke outside. You brought back a lot of memories!
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to anti-smoking laws, Canada is even stricter than the U.S. I was a heavy smoker for 37 years, but gave it up for good in 2007. Now, the smell makes me sick! 🤢 That bothered me a lot when we were travelling in Europe. I wonder why smoking is still condoned in public places there?
ReplyDelete