Blowing Smoke at Big Cigars

Being caught in an acrid cloud of cigar (or cigarette or pipe) smoke is as appealing as driving in the exhaust of an RTD bus (“The Cigar Manifesto,” by David Shaw, Aug. 7).

Whether eating, not eating, or walking down the street, a sudden whiff is an unpleasant stink to a nonsmoker, producing the urge to hold one’s breath for reasons of both health and aesthetics.

And finally, while Shaw’s good manners are appreciated, the temporary suffering of adjacent diners is not the sole consideration of a restaurateur. Tobacco smoke seeps into furnishings and reeks for months after the smoker has departed, thus ruining the meals of many future clients.

CAROLE RASCHELLA

Northridge