Health Express for Smokers

Author: Niu Wenyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features:
Three, the cultural differences between the East and the West are very significant, and there are also many distinct differences in smoking habits and etiquette. Without understanding, some unpleasant misunderstandings may arise. In everyday public social settings in the United States, if someone offers you a cigarette, even if you have one in your pocket, it is best not to take it out and instead accept the one offered by the host. Never reject the host's cigarette under the guise of being polite and smoke one from your own. If the social setting is in a confined space, such as encountering an old friend you haven’t seen in years at a corner of a lane, you should not smoke. However, at banquets, unless the host offers you a cigarette or lights one for yourself, it is impolite to pick up a cigarette. Smoking at the table before the meal is fully finished is impolite, as it shows that you cannot appreciate the food provided for you by the guests. In other countries, such as France, the etiquette of lighting a cigarette during a meal is even more. Lighting a cigarette between two courses is considered the act of a barbarian. When talking to others or greeting someone on the street, you should remove your pipe or cigarette. Smoking while talking to a woman or blowing smoke in her face will be met with disdain and deemed rude. Ashtrays are for holding cigarette ash and butts; you should not place a cigarette that is not fully extinguished on top of it, as this is highly inappropriate.
In the etiquette of offering cigarettes, there are also some obvious differences between the East and the West. In the eyes of Westerners, the greatest respect for a person is fully respecting their personal rights, and smoking and offering cigarettes are no exception. Therefore, when guests arrive, it is more common to serve coffee or tea. Even when offering cigarettes, they are often placed on a coffee table or the table, and the host does not actively offer one but simply waits for the guest's preference. When preparing to smoke, one should first glance around to see if there are any women present. A well-mannered Westerner, in the presence of women, will at least politely ask, "May I?" or "Do you mind if I smoke?" to inquire about their wishes. P25-26