Doing anything in the late 1970’s involved cigarette smoke. It was everywhere – restaurants, pubs, gigs, people’s homes, school staff rooms, the lot. The default was to be a smoker – in the same way that ‘everyone’ is on Facebook these days. If you weren’t a smoker, then your views and comfort didn’t count.
Pub ceilings had tiny stalagtites of nicotine stains; if you went out to a pub or a concert, you would have to wash all your clothes and your hair afterwards because they would stink – well unless you couldn’t smell it because ….
Edgy and rebellious children started smoking very young; usually by the age of 8. I tried it whilst still at primary school but it didn’t appeal, and with non-smoking parents I was better placed to refuse. In fact my non-smoking parents had been given many ashtrays as wedding presents, which they scattered around the house in case any smokers came round to visit.
But what to do with your fag-ends when there was no ash tray in sight?