No ifs, ands or butts.....s'il vous plait

A cigarette butt is about the same size as a gum wrapper, right?  Would all of the people who throw cigarette butts out their windows also throw a gum wrapper out the window?  I really don't think so.  Really.  And if I am standing on the street talking to a friend and they flick their butt to the curb, I really don't think I can imagine this same person flicking a gum wrapper in the same way.  The gum wrappers go back in the pockets.  So, what is it about smokers--educated, kind, recycling-minded, earth-loving smokers--that makes them feel okay about throwing their cigarette butts on the street?  I know they can't put the butt back in their pocket, but is that a good enough excuse to litter?  I can't put an apple core back in my pocket either, but I wouldn't feel okay just pitching it on the street.

I'm not sure why this subject made it to a blog.  Because I have nothing else to say?  (Highly unlikely.)  Because maybe it will make SOMEONE think about it?  (I doubt it.) Because I don't know how to say "cigarette butt" in French or Italian?  (In fact, maybe that's the reason.)  It's hard to have this kind of discussion, I mean the kind of discussion you can imagine that I would like to have, without the vocabulary.  I don't think that what I have to say carries any weight even if I could speak the language, but without it, I think it would be a bit ridiculous.

So, those of you who read this blog can give me insight if you have it.  In fact, I don't know if I have any readers that smoke. ;-) If I do, I hope you're not offended, but it really is something that I've been wanting to say for a long time.

And another thing.......