I guess I'll start first then.

Back awhile ago my son liked to smoke cigars. He didn't inhale (I know, I know) but smoked them for the visual persona of sexiness, manliness, whatever. He doesn't now. It was a once a week or so thing. Anyway, it was a warm day and between classes on his college campus. He sat down as far away from anyone as he could get and lit up. A girl he didn't know came up to him and said, "do you know how disgusting you look with that cigar in your mouth?" He said he smiled and said, "tell me about it." She proceeded to tell him about others "rights", air pollution and of course health concerns. I think she meant well but at the same time she was extremely rude and way out of line. She could have chosen a much nicer approach than starting off by calling a person disgusting. Actually I would think it's very unwise and unsafe to approach a stranger with comments that are instantly inflammatory to their character when you don't even know the person.

From that time on and with his new job he's been able to understand and sympathize with smokers.

Now let's hear your stories.