Where did all the cigarette smoke go? After being in France for only 7 weeks there were already some things that I started getting used to. The smell of the cigarettes was something that I noticed right after arriving in France, but it didn't take long before it became just a part of every day life. There seemed to be no type of people that smoking was most identified with though, it was rich, poor, men, woman, natives, immigrants, you name it. People smoked at the cafe, during the short breaks at school (which I was told are secretly just for the teachers to smoke), at the beach, and even on the metro (although I believe that is not allowed). The cigarettes also came in all shapes and sizes including the Eco cigarettes, which are becoming increasingly more popular.
Now I don't claim to know all the reasons why smoking is so much more prevalent in France, but something that we had the chance to talk about during are cultural discussions is how the French have a strong sense of freedom, and peoples ability to do what they want and choose for themselves. So despite the large print on the front of the cigarette package stating the danger contained it doesn't seem to stop many at all, and especially in comparison to the amount of smoking that goes on in Utah. Although the smoking population isn't as high here as it is there I have noticed the few times I do get a whiff of it the nostalgia hits me and for a moment I am back in Nice again.
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