I think many habitual smokers have managed to convince themselves that their habit does not actually cause discomfort to other people, and that the suggestion that they should have tried to avoid smoking in confined areas, out of regard for other people's comfort, is just a matter of busybody killjoys.

"...it was just a case of pushing my chair backwards 1 mtr & I would be in the smoking area but able to hear what was going on." And of course the smoke would stay within the smoking araa, so everybody was happy...