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Brissie resident livid over neighbour’s second-hand smoke - what do you think?
Smoking is most often a personal choice, one we know by now has its related health risks — but as one recent post on Reddit’s r/brisbane subreddit shows, its effects on other people can take a toll.
A livid Redditor — presumably a Brisbane local — aired their frustrations on the platform last October 2, 2022, over their neighbour’s second-hand smoke wafting into their home.
'Our clean washing STINKS, we can no longer use our back deck. Our windows stay shut 90% of the day, so we're living in a prison. Air conditioners don't filter and cost us money to run,' said the Reddit user, who has since deleted their account.
According to the post, the neighbours’ smoke rendered their backyard useless. As such, they couldn’t eat their breakfast outside, or even exercise in their own yard.
A Brisbane resident has divided the internet on whether her complaints about her neighbours' smoking are justified. Source: OpenAI
The post author also pointed out that their neighbours smoke all throughout the day, and that the neighbours have also been informed of concerns over their smoking habit’s effects numerous times, but to no apparent effect.
'This person is shifting the burden of their health choice onto us,' the original poster (OP) said.
'How dare you shift your cancer causing habit INTO my home. My bedrooms, and my kitchen…. YOU choose to smoke, I do not. You deal with the effects of your habit, that's not my responsibility,' they stressed.
The post has elicited mostly sympathetic reactions to the OP’s residential plight — even from smokers.
'As a smoker, and I'd like to think a considerate one at that- honestly, I'd rather you knock on the door and tell me rather than let it get to you like this. I can always move where I smoke, you can't exactly move houses,' one user wrote.
'I completely understand where you're coming from. Until last year, lived in a block of units owned by the same owner and rented through the same agency. Had the smoke from downstairs come into our place every night. Response from the agency was nil. They didn't really care either about the spitting off the balcony or the pissing either. At least the pissing stopped when I lost my s*** at 3 in the morning,' another said.
Some users, however, have taken a more cynical view of the post..
'Really? Your backyard is unusable? Your washing stinks? I don't believe that someone could smoke enough cigarettes to make your home unusable. Just sounds like an hysterical anti-smoking rant. Feel sorry for your neighbours,' one said.
'I don't understand. Is your nose super sensitive? How could you possibly smell someone's smoke from across the road? Even with the case of your next door neighbour, I still don't see how you'd smell it, let alone it be a big enough deal that it affects your entire quality of life,' another added.
As of posting time, the Reddit post has 502 upvotes (likes) and 648 comments.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, for every eight fatalities related to smoking, one non-smoker affected by second-hand smoke dies.
Meanwhile, Australian smokers use about 12.3 cigarettes daily on average.
What’s your take on the whole issue? Is the original poster right to call out their neighbours? Or are they making a big deal out of nothing?
Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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The Australian government has resources for those who wish to quit smoking. Call 13 QUIT (13 7848) or visit Quitline here for more details.
