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Comment by tail_exchange | Hacker News Reader

I don't really care what people do with their lungs, so whether they want to smoke or not, that's their problem. That being said, I definitely have an issue with smokers who think it's ok to throw cigarette butts on the ground. It's crazy how we still allow non-biodegradable cigarette filters to exist.

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When I clear up the litter from my paved front yard I fill a rubbish bag. The cigarette butts are the single most common item but they aren't even a hand full. They are just a tiny fraction of the vast quantity of litter that gets dropped in the street.

I don't drop litter and I wish nobody else would but the focus on cigarettes is just baffling. It seems to be driven by anti-smoking campaigners who have latched on to the "most common litter" and don't actually care about litter in general.

Have you ever stood next to someone while they smoke?

How is this relevant? I didn't say we should allow smoking everywhere, or that smokers don't need to exercise basic courtesy when they are around non-smokers. I said it's not my business whether someone else decides to be a smoker or not.

You're approaching HN discussions in a clear, linear fashion. You can't do that. You gotta be more autistic.

Jokes aside, the level of discourse on HN is miles ahead places like Reddit and Twitter. HN's comment section is fantastic compared to them.

Fair enough - did not mean to be glib. As much as I dog you boys here sometimes, I really enjoy your comments. HN makes Reddit comments seem like porno video comments by comparison quality wise.

Because the smoke spreads, and you don't always have a choice to avoid it.

It also drives up the cost of healthcare, which because of insurance or socialized healthcare we all pay more for (either higher premiums or higher taxes).

I don’t like the “drives up the cost of health care” argument because the same argument can be used to outlaw motorcycle or horseback riding, or anything else that’s a higher risk activity. Do we as a society actually want to do that?

You don't even have to stand next to them. They could smoke on their balconies several stories down and it'll drift through your bedroom window.

E.g. OCB Eco filter tips are 100% biodegradable :

> These filter tips are designed without plastic, they are biodegradable according to NF EN14995 norm and disintegrate in water (in particular seas and oceans).

What % of these Top 100 Cigarette Filter products are biodegradable? https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/hpc/10342496011/

Clear cellulose papers exist and are bidegradeable. Many products made from algae is biodegradable.

Unbleached hemp cigarette filters exist but only for slims?

There should be a law: cigarettes and their filters may only be made of unbleached biodegradables.

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