As legislatures all across the city and the state consider smoking bans of all size and scope, we thought it might be high time to remind smokers of the etiquettes of smoking at gigs. As someone who smokes, I'm well aware of the many social pitfalls of my death-inducing pursuit. I'm not Captain Buzzkill here from the Planet Square, but have some respect, eh?
See Also: - Missouri Rep. Kathie Conway Proposes Penalty for Cities With Smoking Bans - New Smoking Bans? City of St. Charles Now Considering "Smoke-Free Air Act"
• If you're inside a venue that allows smoking indoors, at least consider going outside. If you're allowed to stay inside because apparently it's the 20th century in that venue, then try not to blow smoke directly at someone else. Look at where the smoke's going, and blow it away from other people. They're probably just there to see a nice concert or something.
• Evidently, everyone on a smoking patio is there by choice. This doesn't mean, however, even if you're on a smoking patio, that you are free to just blow your smoke wherever. Go to a less inhabited part. However, a packed-full smoking patio of mildly inebriated people is a good place to strike up conversations with the gender of your choice, so, you know, bear that in mind.
• Also respect the poor sod whose job it is to stand on said patio and make sure people don't jump the fence to get in. He didn't ask to hear your story about this one time you were drunk and how you did something that was so amazing you can't find the words to describe it. He's just trying stop people doing the live music equivalent of downloading an album, while covered in cigarette smoke.
• If, while on said smoking patio, you realize you are bereft of smokes, it's always nicer to offer to buy a cigarette off someone rather than straight out ask for one. They'll probably give it to you anyway, but if they say no don't get all sulky. Don't be that guy.
• Should someone be so kind as to offer you a cigarette, at least try and have a little chat with them. Show gratitude. Don't take it and turn back to your group of friends immediately.
• Smoking weed inside -- that's a totally different ball game. Stand right in the middle of a very large group of people, as tight to them as possible. Offer it around a bit, checking that none of the people you offer it to have "SECURITY" on their shirts. After eight seconds, when you begin to feel some paranoia, is the perfect time to start passing it around. Also pass if you see security coming for you. Then you can be all, "OFFICER, IT WAS THAT GUY, GET HIM, DRUGS ARE FOR LOSERS, OK. This would be the perfect time to set your bag full of drugs on fire and run off into the night, cackling.
• Don't smoke weed on the patio. Are you insane?
Check out some of our other "Mind Your Fucking Manners" articles below: - The Top Ten Ways to Piss Off Your Bartender - To The Asshole Who Sat Behind Me At the Springsteen Show in Kansas City - Mind Your Fucking iPhones
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