In Los Angeles, all restaurants have been completely smoke free for so long that it’s kind of shocking to smell smoke indoors during a meal.

The immediate inclination to assume a fire and rush for the exits. I believe I have a pretty fair view of the whole thing, as I am

(currently) a very occasional smoker, so I understand the habit and its pleasures. Meanwhile, the smell of second hand smoke is pretty strong. It definitely affects the olfactory enjoyment of a meal.

Also, if you are not often exposed to it, the smell can be quite unpleasant. One of my kids, having never been conditioned to act this way, finds it impossible to tolerate. So here’s where I am: the health risks of second hand smoke are in fact pretty dubious, but I can make a persuasive argument for an amendment to the social contract that we don’t smoke where we eat.