Smoking in the DR

Alltimegreat

Member
Nov 16, 2012
604
1
18
I just returned from my most recent trip to Santo Domingo. It's impossible to overlook how few people there are smokers, especially compared to Europe. In Germany and France, you can't walk more than a few feet down the sidewalk without some lowlife blowing cigarette smoke in your face. I cannot recall seeing anyone smoke in Santo Domingo at all, and it was quite a pleasant surprise.
 

Africaida

Gold
Jun 19, 2009
7,774
1,341
113
I just returned from my most recent trip to Santo Domingo. It's impossible to overlook how few people there are smokers, especially compared to Europe. In Germany and France, you can't walk more than a few feet down the sidewalk without some lowlife blowing cigarette smoke in your face. I cannot recall seeing anyone smoke in Santo Domingo at all, and it was quite a pleasant surprise.

A smoker is a lowlife to you ?
 

Alltimegreat

Member
Nov 16, 2012
604
1
18
A smoker is a lowlife to you ?

Not necessarily, but here it's typically the welfare recipient and alcoholic type who are doing it. Chain smoking in general is out of control in Europe and is also quite common among top managers and even doctors/dentists. The latter would most likely be smoking in their BMW/Porsche and not while walking on the sidewalk.
 

Castle

Silver
Sep 1, 2012
2,982
1
0
Smoking seems to be a declining habit among dominicans. I don't know what the reason is, maybe just because it's an expensive and completely useless habit? the result of public campaigns? (nah)...
I have nothing against smokers, but I wonder. Most other addicts have some instant (though perverse) satisfaction from their drugs of choice, however smokers seem to only get the anxiety of waiting for the next smoke, with no real satisfaction whatsoever. Or maybe they do. One thing I learned during my early teens: never kiss a woman who has been smoking! so I am glad very few dominicanas actually smoke...
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
i have no love for smokers having shared a room with my heavily smoking brother. dad used to smoke too and kicked his habit after 30 years or so when i was already an adult. in any case, indeed, not that many dominicans smoke. strange thing since DR produces so much tobacco. sometimes in the campo you will see older folks, including women, smoke a cigar or a pipe.
 
This is one of my fav things about the DR!!
I can't stand ignorant smokers who smoke at restaurants. Yes i am used to a City where smoking is not allowed even on patios at restaurants , Clubs and Pubs and LOVE IT!!!

Only place in the DR I have noticed annoying smokers is when we go to a tourist area and smoke is blown in our face while eating. I don't understand how smokers can not understand how gross this is for OTHER people?!

I have much love for the courteous smokers out there, I only wish you would quit for your health :)

I don't agree with smokers being low lifes, that's a bit extreme!! Smoking is damn expensive! In Canada anyways, $10 a pack i think!
 

Gurabo444

Member
Nov 1, 2009
428
0
16
It's not because of the price that most Dominicans don't smoke, if it was cause of that, then we would see a decline in drinking, yet I doubt that's ever going to happen. Also, unlike the US there really hans't been an anti smoking campaign, at least none that I know of. In my opinion there are two main reasons why smoking is so unpopular in the DR; first of all it is not in style, it actually hasn't been in style for decades, unlike other countries were smoking might bee seen as cool by the youth, here is the total opposite, generally only old people smoke. Second and more importantly, smoking is seen as disgusting and gross by most people, Dominicans are generally hygiene freaks at least when it comes to our bodies, anything that can cause a person to smell bad, in this case smoking is generally look down upon.

That's one of the things I like about DR, i truly hate the smell and the smoke of cigarettes. Another thing I like is how unpopular smoking pot is among Dominicans, especially compare to America. I still have to see some one lighting a blunt in the streets or meet someone who has offered me any.
 
That's one of the things I like about DR, i truly hate the smell and the smoke of cigarettes. Another thing I like is how unpopular smoking pot is among Dominicans, especially compare to America. I still have to see some one lighting a blunt in the streets or meet someone who has offered me any.

I wonder if it's how people look b/c i get asked A LOT to buy pot/coke. I am younger and look like i would be into it b/c of tats etc... No way in hell am i EVER doing any drugs in this Country!

I also heard it is looked down upon by Domincans to smoke, especially in public. I am always shocked when i do see the odd one smoking.
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
11,747
1,343
113
I wonder if it's how people look b/c i get asked A LOT to buy pot/coke. I am younger and look like i would be into it b/c of tats etc... No way in hell am i EVER doing any drugs in this Country!

WTF does this have to do with smoking cigarettes?
I sometimes wonder if you get paid by the word to post here?
 

jilly777

New member
Jul 17, 2013
171
0
0
I,m a smoker...I do not blow smoke in anyones face in the street nor do I smoke in restaurants, cafes or anywhere else people are preparing or eating food.
So you want to call me a lowlife again????
 

wuarhat

I am a out of touch hippie.
Nov 13, 2006
1,378
89
48
you can't walk more than a few feet down the sidewalk without some lowlife blowing cigarette smoke in your face.

I,m a smoker...I do not blow smoke in anyones face in the street nor do I smoke in restaurants, cafes or anywhere else people are preparing or eating food.
So you want to call me a lowlife again????

Alltimegreat called someone blowing cigarette smoke in your face a lowlife. You claim you never do that. Lighten up, Francis!
 

Expat13

Silver
Jun 7, 2008
3,255
50
48
I don't know any Dominicans personally who smoke. Every Gringo friend I have here but me does smoke!

Props for Dominicans on this one!!!!
 

Gurabo444

Member
Nov 1, 2009
428
0
16
I wonder if it's how people look b/c i get asked A LOT to buy pot/coke. I am younger and look like i would be into it b/c of tats etc... No way in hell am i EVER doing any drugs in this Country!

I also heard it is looked down upon by Domincans to smoke, especially in public. I am always shocked when i do see the odd one smoking.

Yeah that might contribute to it, especially since many Dominicans think that tats are synonymous with thugs, drug addicts (tecatos) criminals etc.. Although this view towards tats is changing. it could also be because you live in a tourist town. From prevoius post I recall you mentioning that you live in sosua or cabarete? I doubt that people would offer you drugs if you would've lived in a small regular town or in a city like Santiago. In Santiago drugs are only popular among the "riquitos" who've always used fancy drugs, and unfortunately according to most people it has started to become popular in the really bad barrios of the city.

Sorry for further going off topic, but Dominicans have an interesting view towards drug use, for many, drug usage is one of the worst crimes a person can make. I once heard a guy say this "my brother might be a thieve but one thing he is not, is a drug addict" as if some how being a thieve is more nobel than being a junky. This vie is held by most, heck, I've heard of stories of parents kicking their kids out of the house after finding out they used some sort of drug. My dad told me the he stop talking to one of his childhood friends after finding out he was into weed.

I think this mind set of many Dominicans is kind of stupid, they see drug use as worse than other things that are just as bad or worse such as throwing garbage in the streets, being a thug, or even robbing someone etc.. Though I hope we improve in many aspects, I don't want the negative stigma towards drug usage to ever fade away, the last thing we want is to add a generation full of pot heads, and cocaine addicts to the already big list of problems that plague Dominicans.
 

Timotero

Bronze
Feb 25, 2011
689
29
48
I,m a smoker...I do not blow smoke in anyones face in the street nor do I smoke in restaurants, cafes or anywhere else people are preparing or eating food.
So you want to call me a lowlife again????[/QUOTE]

You may not be a low-life, but statiscally, you'll almost certainly have a shorter-life.
Be good to yourself and give it up.
 

wuarhat

I am a out of touch hippie.
Nov 13, 2006
1,378
89
48
I spent the weekend in the campo seven KM outside of El Seibo with some in-laws, and there were many more smokers than I have ever seen before in the Dominican Republic. The main difference between them and US smokers is that I don't think the heaviest smoker there had ten cigarettes in a day.
 

jilly777

New member
Jul 17, 2013
171
0
0
Alltimegreat called someone blowing cigarette smoke in your face a lowlife. You claim you never do that. Lighten up, Francis!
Ah I see...you are quite correct...there was me reading the whole passage and putting it into context
And there was you chopping it up and quoting a chunk
I can only apologise
Francis is not my name...or am I missing your humour?