Second Hand Smoke

[Dew k. Mosi]

I live with my aunt and she is a chain smoker. She pays the bulk of the rent, and has the bulk of the apartment. I mostly just stay in the master bedroom (since it has its own bath) and rarely go in the living room. Trouble is, I have begun to have breathing problems. I cough constantly and can't walk down the block without wheezing, not even considering what might happen if I tried to run. I had an air filter thing but it broke. She has her own, but she refuses to turn it on ("The ion smells bad.") and when I sneak out and turn it on, she shuts it off. I have taken to turning it on and opening all the doors when she is at work.

But every article of clothes I have smells of smoke. My bag, my laptop case, my shoes, my hair, everything.

I can't ask her to NOT smoke since I owe her rent and couldn't afford to live without her as a roomie. I have decided that I am going to start Febrezing my clothes and stuff before I leave. But does anyone have any idea the best way to get the smoke out of the air so I don't get lung cancer before I turn 40?

 

[Mee]

The Magic Bullet.

It can do anything.

 

[jaguarr]

Really no way to avoid the smoke in a dwelling like that, Dew. It gets into absolutely everything. Period. Air filters do very little to help. You could encase her portion of the living space in airtight plexi-glass and seal her in there when she's at home. Other than that, you're just going to have to endure.

jag

 

[Fran]

 

[Lackey]

air filter is good, but too bad yours broke

If I had to be in the house, I would get a fan and open a window... that way you can set up the fan in front the bedroom door so it's pulling air from outside through your room and out the door making good circulation.

other than that, I'd probably try hanging out at the library/Barnes&Noble/the mall/etc. as much as I could.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

I remember in the golden age when restaurants had a smoking and a non-smoking section, I went into a truck stop where I swear the air in the smoker's section was more fresh and delightful than in the non-smoking section.
I don't know the details, but they seemed to have large machines that powerfully sucked all the air in the room out, relatively quietly.

But if you can't afford to move out on your own, even to the point of risking lung cancer (Andy Kaufman was a staunch vegetarian health freak who never drank or smoked, but died of lung cancer 'cause of his time spent in the comedy clubs.) then I doubt you'd be able to find, buy and install any such machinery. *shrug*

Surely you must have a friend you can move out with. I'd rather be homeless than live with family. Especially family that didn't care enough to compromise a little bit in the lung cancer/stenchy clothes arena.

 

[Dew k. Mosi]

My friends do not live in this area. I am far away from anyone who cares about me.

The fan idea is good.

 

[Bat Attack]

Buy 20 glade wisps and put them in your closet so then you clothes will smell nice and fresh!

 

[muertevilla]

yeah, just move out. get a buddy who needs a roomie and presto..even if they do smoke chances are they would be alot cooler with perhaps opening a window or moderating their smoking than your aunt would be. even then...unless your peter parker, you should probably move out anyway.

 

[Hades]

Don't let the smoke, smoke you.

Let yourself smoke, the smoke. Become it's master, and assasin.

 

[DV8]

I thought this was a Cheech and Chong appreciation thread

 

[DV8]

honestly, though Dew . . . I would do everything I could to move out somehow/someway . . . and just think, the threat of you moving out because of her nasty habit may just cause her to reevaluate the situation . . . . otherwise, just leave grotesque pictures of diseased smokers lung througout the house . . . maybe she'll at least cut back . . .

 

[Fanticon]

my friend quit smoking this year...he was 16 when he started and is now 26. He never smoked inside...and never wreaked of ciggs. But he had a wicked bad smokers cough...his new girlfriend and all of us (his friends) pretty much pleaded with him to quit this year. Sure enough he waited 9months to do so...but, I'm proud of him...it wasn't easy...but, don't hold guilt or false leverage over the persons you are trying to get to quit. Thats my only advice, further more...a smoker won't take credit for someone else helping them quit...so don't expect a pat on the back and let them do it thier way.

 

[jaguarr]

Smokers don't quit until their damn good and ready to, and some are never ready. I quit nearly two years ago. My wife has never stopped. She's cut back and even tried to quit a couple of times, but not wholeheartedly. The point is, people will do what they're going to do and they're usually the only ones who can make a decision to change their lives.

jag

 

[Cyclops]

While she's sleeping, stick nicotine patches on her.

 

[Calvin]

Respect to your aunt

 

[04nbod]

3 of my family smoke like chimneys. i open my bedroom window from when i leave in the morning until i go to bed- but it still doesn't work. its horrible because you don't know what people are thinking when you smell of smoke. i actually have a cough- and i've had asthma since i was two- second hand smoke is a bad idea- smoking in general is a bad idea.You could always try febreeze

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

If your starting to have breathing problems now,then you have to decide on something.Either..perhaps let this get worse,get athesma or lung cancer,and die a early death.Or ask her to stop smoking,or stop around the places of the apartment where you mostly live in.Something has to be done,dew.

 

[samurai black]

If your starting to have breathing problems now,then you have to decide on something.Either..perhaps let this get worse,get athesma or lung cancer,and die a early death.Or ask her to stop smoking,or stop around the places of the apartment where you mostly live in.Something has to be done,dew.

Yeah, it's seems like you're caught between a rock and a hard place. My advice is to just level with her and tell her it's now affecting your health. If you use the right tone and message, maybe she'll begin to smoke outside(hope you live somewhere sunny). But if she says the hell with your health, i'd start to look for a place, or a possible mate with their own place, they don't really have to be attractive, just have a digital cable and hi-speed internet.

 

[Jamie Gold]

Here in the UK, as from July 2007, smoking in ALL public places is banned. That includes all pubs and clubs, bars etc you can only smoke in your house or I believe in certain areas.

And damn good too.

 

[JStorm]

Give me a minute and I will find the link to the website in which I bought my air filter. The filter was expensive; but worth every penny.

Hold on.

 

[Jamie Gold]

Yeah we use one of those at work. My manager bought one, they seem ok. Depends on the model I guess, I always am a little skeptical of them.

 

[Jamie Gold]

Yeah we use one of those at work. My manager bought one, they seem ok. Depends on the model I guess, I always am a little skeptical of them.

 

[JStorm]

Find the one that best fits your area. I use the Classic XL-15. It covers my entire apartment and keeps the air clean.

I don't smoke; but my mother does. She is the one who told me of these filters and she swears by 'em.

Her house DOES NOT smell like smoke.

Here ya go: http://www.alpineairproducts.com/

 

[Jamie Gold]

Crazy prices? I mean it'd be cheaper to just stop smoking!