Before anyone had any idea that tobacco was addictive or that second-hand smoke could be harmful to your health, smoking was pretty much totally unregulated. Commercial cigarette brands were started in part to help keep soldier busy during their downtime, so they wouldn’t get into trouble. Before the 1980s, there wasn’t even a minimum age for people to be legally allowed to use tobacco products. At thecigarcafe.com, tobacco users in the Washington, D.C. area and beyond are encouraged to only smoke in areas where it is allowed, and to always use tobacco products wisely and ethically. Here’s how you should approach learning the social smoking culture in D.C. so that you can make your transition into the area smoothly.
What’s Up With Smoking in DC?
Since Washington, D.C. is the political center of the U.S., social tobacco use is still a favorite pastime of locals. You can find hookah bars, cigar bars, and other social smoking clubs in abundance here. This might be because smoking in most public venues is strictly illegal in D.C., as it is in the rest of the United States. What is interesting about D.C. is that while the district making the country’s most important rules related to public health, its officials still enjoy their hand-rolled cigars on occasion.
Is Smoking a Social Requirement for DC Residents?
If you attend any type of political event at a private club or venue in D.C., you will see people enjoying tobacco. They may be partitioned off on a balcony or even have a private smoking room, but you will also see party-goers holding lighters, cigars, and cigarettes in plain view. In other words, smokers are not shunned in D.C. Going to a fancy party is often used as an excuse to indulge in tobacco products here. So, in short, smoking is not a social requirement, but it is also not at all frowned upon.
How Not to Look Awkward While Around Smokers in DC
Remember when the media caught onto the fact that former President Obama was an occasional cigarette smoker? While he was outside of the White House, he was often caught sneaking cigarettes here and there. However, while in social settings in D.C., Obama’s smoking habit was probably seen as being no big deal at all. Lots of things get hidden in D.C., but perfectly legal habits such as smoking cigars or cigarettes are not one of them. Not everyone is going to agree with the fact that other people smoke, so if you don’t want to be seen as a social pariah, you should just stay mum about other people’s habits. Of course, no one has the right to blow smoke in your face. Just attend events that don’t cater to tobacco users if you don’t want to imbibe.
You’ll see interns smoking outside while burning the midnight oil in D.C., and you’ll also see commuters lighting up on their way to work. It’s just a way of life in the District of Columbia - like it is pretty much all other places in the U.S. Be polite and remain neutral on the subject if you are wanting to be accepted socially.
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