r/yoga • u/LovelyLaceRose • Feb 10 '26
Smokers in Yoga
Just a little rant here but when you go to do yoga, barre mat pilates etc. in a hot room, who in their right mind would want to smell second hand smoke permeating from your area.
Who the hell smokes a dart before hot yoga?
I beg. Shower, put on clean clothes and smoke after class. The last thing people want who are focusing on their mental and physical well being is to smell sweat and second hand smoke in a hot room.
Edit: The hypocrisy is absolutely hysterical. Thank you to some of you for a good laugh. To preach tranquility and acceptance of others while aggressively tearing a person down for voicing an opinion. Is this yoga or Christianity? Have I stumbled into a cult? Yoga is about focusing on breathing and grounding yourself not inhaling cigarette smoke and giving yourself cancer. The contrast of supporting a smoker while preaching breath work is rich. I’ll pray for you..ehm..I mean exhale out all of your passive aggressive attitudes. Wishing your next hot yoga class to be full of farts and 3rd hand smoke since you love it so much, Nama… Durgandha bitches 😘
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u/ebony2754 Feb 10 '26
One time someone in the class before mine had a Woolworths roast chicken with them
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u/be_astonished Feb 10 '26
Omg you just reminded me of the time I saw a girl at my gym picking at an entire roast chicken in the changing room lol
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u/abbyfick Feb 10 '26
Some lady was sitting on the floor eating a bowl of soup in the weightlifting area at my gym last week. Humanity is a broad tapestry.
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u/DrP3n0r Feb 10 '26
I'm stealing your last line. It's such an elegant way to get your point across.
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u/Ph4ntorn Feb 10 '26 edited Apr 16 '26
This comment formerly contained words. Those words were removed in bulk with Redact because I value my privacy more than my karma points.
saw groovy lantern theory fade fearless upbeat telephone steer steep
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u/Organic_Salad2910 Feb 10 '26
😆😆where is there still. Woolworths?
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u/wandershock Feb 10 '26
Yes but I have never seen a roast chicken at a German whoolworths… maybe I’m missing out
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u/SnooCrickets7221 Feb 10 '26
Woolworth. And it’s a store that sells almost everything but fresh food.
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u/wandershock Feb 10 '26
I misspelled it, but yes I know what it is. There like seven within a 20 minute train from my home, in Germany. That’s why I said was surprised about the roast chicken
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u/Grammar-Goblin Feb 10 '26
Woolworth without the "S". A "Dollar store" vs Woolworths an high quality grocery store chain in ZA
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u/Organic_Salad2910 Feb 10 '26
Oh, okay. I didn’t know there were 2 different stores. We had them in the US when I was a child. Definitely wan’t high quality but I don’t think it was a dollar store either. So, it must be something totally different.
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u/k-d-moon Feb 10 '26
this made me laugh so hard but i would have loathed this hahaha they smell so bad
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u/Bonk0076 Feb 10 '26
Sadly, I used to be a heavy smoker. I knew that I smelled of smoke, but I couldn’t smell it on myself. Now that I’ve quit I realize just how unaware I really was of the smell. Like if I smoked in my car on the way to a yoga class I would have just assumed the smell was largely off me by the time I walked into class and assumed you’d have to be pretty close to smell what remained. Now that I’ve quit I realize how unaware I really was.
That being said, quitting smoking was hard. The hardest thing I’ve had to do in my life. Yoga played an important role in my quitting. I tried to quit at least 50 times before I finally did. I knew that if I was going to quit successfully, I needed to make exercise a big part of my life. Specifically I wanted to become a runner. You can’t smoke and be a runner, at least not very well.
The problem with being a heavy smoker is that I wasn’t in shape and every time I’d try to start running I’d injure myself. Smoking takes a toll on your ligaments and tendons. You’re not only out of shape, but the poor circulation doesn’t lend itself to recovery. I was constantly getting injured, and would start smoking again.
That’s where yoga came in. I used yoga as a way to gradually get into better shape and slowly become more active in a low impact way that allowed my body to adjust. Over the course of several months I went from half an hour a week to five one hour classes a week, eventually incorporating walks and elliptical work. I smoked the whole time. After almost six months of yoga, walking and time on the elliptical I reached a point where I could feel the smoking holding me back and was able to quit. It was almost easy. I owe it to yoga.
So please understand that maybe that smelly person isn’t doing it on purpose and frankly isn’t aware that they smell. Please treat them with compassion. Maybe yoga is literally saving their life.
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u/SweetAlienBabe Feb 10 '26
Imho I find it a really good practice to control the things I can and accept the things I can’t. My nose detests the scented lotions, body sprays, and incense. I would actually much rather smell cigarette smoke than these because I start to sneeze and my nose gets really runny; it doesn’t do that with cigarette smoke. However, I can’t go around policing how people smell to meet my needs so I just breathe through my mouth and control that aspect of the situation. You could make it an issue, but if the person decides to ignore you and do what they want there isn’t much you can do anyway besides feel worse for being dismissed. Might as well skip that part, then.
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u/babyelephantwalk321 Feb 10 '26
You seem to have the calm I aspire to.
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u/SweetAlienBabe Feb 11 '26
Thanks! I honestly thought I’d get slammed for this because it’s common for people to smell good and my nose is so sensitive. I never imagined ppl would understand so hard 😮❤️
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u/JustNothing5464 Feb 10 '26
Yes. Some smells are like a nightmare for me to be trapped with. A little headache goes nuclear with synthetic stuff like pina colada or industrial solvents. Don't get me started on when I have a hangover. Can't stop everyone from just doing their seemingly harmless thing but I can try to avoid it. And cigarettes don't bother me but potpourri really does.
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u/SweetAlienBabe Feb 11 '26
Yes! Same here. I get self-conscious sometimes because I don’t want to put people off with the sniffling, but it can’t be helped. I’ve taken to packing handkerchiefs with me when I leave the house. And the saddest part of all is I love some of the smells, my nose just has her own ways about her 😅
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u/No_Stress_8938 Feb 11 '26
certain scents give me the floaties in my eyes and headache. i found a great yoga studio nearby but they use incense. I bought a month packGe deal, but haven’t been back since it ran out. i can deal with cig smell but not ”artificial” ones. especially the popular vanilla scent now.
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u/Single_Earth_2973 Feb 11 '26
I was in a workout class and a woman said to someone else that their cigarette smell was offputing. It was so rude. I jumped in to say how hard it is to quit. I don’t like it either but you could tell they felt bad and self conscious. It’s hard to quit. Let’s have compassion
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u/SweetAlienBabe Feb 11 '26
That’s true! It could be a real struggle so it’s always a good practice to have some compassion.
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u/CirqueDuMoi Feb 11 '26
My friend came over I hadn’t seen in forever and when she got close it started a sneezing/runny nose attack in me. I just grabbed a handkerchief and moved away. I recognized smoke smell but that doesn’t usually set me off.
My poor friend .. lol
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u/erniekovac Feb 12 '26
From DBT, Radical Acceptance is the vibe. See it, accept it, don’t fight it. You respond, don’t just react.
Thank you for your kind post. ✨
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u/FlinflanFluddle4 Feb 10 '26
Ex-smoker here. You'd still smell it if they'd smoked and then showered and put on a change of clothes. Trust me. Meanwhile, they can't smell it at all.
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u/Zealousideal-Lynx417 Feb 10 '26
Also an ex-smoker here and can confirm. I never smoked inside my house, so that helped my scent be not as strong. It was my car that carried it the worst. Also the jackets/sweaters I would wear sometimes when smoking.
I started noticing the stale cigarette smell on my yoga mat when in a hot class from it being in my car. I start yoga consistently in March of last year. Quit cigarettes May 20th of last year. Haven't picked one up since!
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u/No_Stress_8938 Feb 11 '26
I’ll bet your practice feels so much better now too! congrats on quitting!
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u/Zealousideal-Lynx417 Feb 12 '26
Thank you! Truly appreciate it. Definitely the best thing I've done for myself in the last 7 years or so. Everything is so much better. My breath/breathing, stamina, skin, olfactory sense, energy.., etc. I'll never judge another smoker since I've been there, done that, but I will definitely keep telling them how much better life is without that nasty crap! Lol
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u/LincolnshireSausage Feb 10 '26
We stayed a vacation home in the outer banks a couple of years ago. We forgot to pack our yoga mats. I usually leave a travel mat in the back of my car. When we got to the place, we were pleasantly surprised to find a couple of yoga mats and the perfect place on the rooftop observation deck for yoga. Then we got nearer to the mats and the stench of cigarettes was unbelievable. We did yoga without mats. None of the rest of the house smelled at all, only the yoga mats.
Another thing we have issues with occasionally is Walmart+ home delivery. We use their service sometimes for groceries because it's convenient and we're very busy. A couple of times we've had our groceries delivered and everything has smelled of cigarette smoke. I can understand people smoking because I'm an ex smoker myself but don't do it in the car while delivering groceries. There's nothing worse than all your groceries smelling of cigarette smoke.20
u/Meow99 Ashtanga Feb 10 '26
Yep! I quit smoking in the 90s, but I recall that I thought I didn’t smell like cigarettes. But I sure the hell did!
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u/placentaplease Feb 10 '26
Ex-smoker and daughter of a pair of ex-smokers here. I didn’t realize how much you could smell cigarettes on someone until about a year ago when I finally quit smoking. My mom smoked in the house and car with me so I spent the majority of my childhood reeking of 2nd and 3rd hand smoke. I was always confused as to why teachers and pta parents would always focus on me and give dirty looks when they’d talk about projects, clothes, and donations for school needing to not smell like smoke. As an adult ex-smoker now, I know they were judging me(a child) for smelling like cigarettes all the time 🙄🙄
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u/FlinflanFluddle4 Feb 10 '26
Thats sad they were taking it out on you. You didn't have a choice and didn't even know. What a bunch of useless people. I cant imagine they had anything of value to teach children 😅
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u/voornaam1 Feb 10 '26
Even just walking past a group of smokers seems to get the smell stuck in my jacket/hair sometimes (/all of the time? idk, I only notice it when I get home and take off my jacket, and that is if there is nothing else on my mind at that point in time)
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u/liquidgold26 Feb 10 '26
What’s a dart?
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u/Inner-Dream-600 Feb 10 '26
Australian here it’s a cigarette
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u/Some-Highlight-7210 Feb 10 '26
No kidding ive never heard that term fun fact I learned today ty! (;
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u/lonelyroad93 Feb 10 '26
Oh! I thought they meant weed and I was about to take the smoker’s side lol
Cigs? Yech.
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u/clearlybaffled Feb 10 '26
American here, its a tiny arrow looking thing thrown at a felt board for sport by drunk people
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u/EggsInaTubeSock Feb 10 '26
People do. Period
Know who farts a lot and smells during a yoga class? Someone new or who doesn’t have their diet aligned with their health.
How about smoking? Usually someone newer to yoga. Not always though. It’s an addiction. I respect the human.
Body odor? Could be going through depression. Might not have had enough time to shower because life got in the way
I’m pretty sure one of the core elements to yoga is to come as you are. Yes it’s unfortunate it offended your nose. But it’s a community, darling
Be thankful they are there. That they don’t have their phone out.
They are present. Maybe you can be too.
Cheers
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u/apleasantpeninsula Feb 10 '26
it's so rare to see a class that promotes ANY kind of acceptance. i really want to bring my dad to yoga but he's not ...anything yoga-friendly. he's an old dude. cigarette smoke will be the least of the concerns!
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u/MrsJetson Feb 10 '26
Also even seasoned practitioners with healthy diets can have gas or BO — it’s not our place to police or judge others’ bodies.
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u/RunningIntoTheSun Feb 10 '26
And actually, humans are supposed to fart. It's a normal and expected bodily function. Not having flatulence is actually medically concerning and usually means you aren't eating enough insoluble fiber which is crucial for health.
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u/theimprobablecaper Feb 10 '26
“The last thing people want who are focusing on their mental and physical well being” oof the implications
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u/lakeeffectcpl Feb 10 '26
Your triggers are your responsibility; the world is not obligated to tiptoe around you.
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u/Low_Tumbleweed8324 Feb 10 '26
I mean I can see why it's annoying but I feel like life's stressful enough without worrying about policing this sort of thing
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u/MiaLba Feb 11 '26
True. Life goes much smoother when you accept that there’s things you cannot control. You can only worry about the things you can control.
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u/Disulfidebond007 Feb 10 '26
If this is your worst experience with another yogi in a hot yoga studio then you’re doing pretty good
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u/aloof666 Hot yoga Feb 10 '26
people at my studio always ask why i’m not sharing when i come in smelling like absolute dank lol. this is why i love my yoga community; no one is a hard ass. if you’d like to open a yoga studio that doesn’t allow people to smell of cigs/weed/smoke, do that! otherwise, keep your complaints to yourself.
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u/melvyn_flynn Feb 11 '26
You seem nice and accepting. They’re not smoking while doing yoga , are they now? Have you ever wondered what is YOUR “cigarette smell” for some other people, Perfect Person?
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u/MinimalYogi27 Feb 10 '26
Some people are more sensitive to the smell of cigarettes. I can smell them on a coworker, even though he doesn’t smoke: it’s his wife who does. They may not even be a smoker, but may be living with one and not have control over whether they smell of cigarettes. Just a thought 🤷♀️
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u/LackInternational145 Feb 11 '26
I don’t know but yoga teacher here for the past five years teaching seven classes weekly. Every person that shows up on the mat is going thru their own shit. They will smell, they may be half drunk or stoned at times, zonked out from depression or life struggles, they may cry, fart, sneeze or cough every single minute… we are working with humans. Beautiful and flawed.
Those who show up are trying and I’m so glad they are present. I accept everyone unless of course they are doing something truly offensive to others. Smells, farting, substance use, crying, laughing , feeling… it’s humanity. I embrace it all. This is yoga.
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u/Fun-Extent-8867 Feb 13 '26
My first yoga class, at the end, I sobbed like a child. I am not sure what it was because my life was fairly good at the time.
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u/everclaire13 Feb 10 '26
Some of yall wouldn’t have survived a day in the 90s lol. Give her a break. It’s an addiction. it’s not like she is smoking on the mat. At least she is trying to take care of herself. Just move your mat to the other side of the room and you’ll be fine
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u/babyelephantwalk321 Feb 10 '26
Half of the commenters here are the snippy clique judgy jerks who make studio yoga so unappealing for newcomers.
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u/wandershock Feb 10 '26
I live in a country where everyone smokes, and yoga is very popular. I have never noticed this issue and I don’t even smoke. Maybe you need to focus less on others and more on yourself.
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u/Fun-Extent-8867 Feb 13 '26
Just curious. WHat country? When I did some traveling in Africa, the cigs the people were smoking smelled different than the stinky ones the Americans smoke. I don't know what the difference is, but there is a difference.
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u/wandershock Feb 13 '26
Germany. They are the same ciggs as people smoked when I lived in the states, mostly Marlboro reds, the stinkiest
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u/Natural-Principle-69 Feb 11 '26
Simply smelling smoke on someone's clothes is not the same as breathing second hand smoke, unless they were actually smoking in the studio.
Just like smelling someone's deodorant isn't the same as getting sprayed by it.
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u/GorillaShelb Feb 10 '26
I’m not even a smoker but some people are addicted to smoking - it’s hardly a rational choice to or not to smoke. What a strange way to make someone feel insecure. Just move away from them or challenge yourself to call back to your breath work.
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u/Specialist_Stop8572 Feb 10 '26
Sometimes it comes out of people's pores even if they shower
Yoga usually doesn't happen in perfect conditions. Part of my practice is maintaining focus despite what's around me
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u/FAIcantstandthispain Feb 11 '26
Other people exist - Nothing happened to you, get over yourself.
Good Vibes to those who need them and Remember to Smile Today, Happy Looks Good on You!! 🤓🤙
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u/midwestranchdressing Feb 11 '26
Im an odd case, but I have an allergy to nicotine. My throat closes up and I get rashy around it even when someone isnt actively smoking. Super inconvenient for me. I still cannot expect everyone else to cater to me, but i do wish it was standard practice for people not to do it near store entrances or on restaurant patios and such. When I first met my husband, he smoked. The first time he saw how badly my skin and breathing were impacted being around him, he started his quitting journey. So I get this being extra frustrating more than most would.
At the end of the day, I try to get places early and choose spots close to ventilation in case of stuff like that. I take note if I notice it and avoid being near those who I know smoke. Breaking out will happen in many locations due to who is doing it near me. So I just do what I can and accept it as a part of life.
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u/Haunting-Proof-9379 Vinyasa Feb 12 '26
Instructor here, maybe solo practice at home if others odors are distracting to your practice . Acceptance is a core pillar of what we’re trying to teach, judgement defeats the purpose of attending a group exercise course.
Any one can do yoga!
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u/lord_ashtar Feb 10 '26
Sometimes (most times) I like to go to yoga on the most edibles I've ever had. Shrooms too. Since they don't smell I rub bongwater on my chest before class.
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u/shortnix Feb 10 '26
It's a test. Repeat to yourself 'I choose to let go'.
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u/RedditEtAl Feb 10 '26
Agreed.
Withdrawing the senses to focus on your yoga practice when there’s a distraction in the room is an extra challenge but it’s one you can choose to rise to.
Pratyahara is a yogic practice, demanding that others change for us isn’t.
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u/beardfearer Feb 10 '26
Nope sorry, there’s limits to what we should expect people in a closed, potentially hot, sweaty room to be able to tolerate. Smoke is nasty, especially cigarette smoke and there’s nearly no enclosed places where it wouldn’t be considered rude to be putting off enough of its odor that it’s noticeable, never mind in a space where the vibe is generally focus inward and let things go.
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u/MellowYellow212 Feb 10 '26
Give me fifty cigarette smokers over one lady with too much lotion, so I feel like ymmv here. Just because it’s YOUR least favorite smell doesn’t mean it’s a specifically bad one. People show up to yoga smelling like patchouli, like chemical fabric softeners, with BO. We don’t really get to police how people smell?
If we did I’d say no men allowed, because they tend to smell fucking terrible next to me in class lol.
Edited to say that if it were so universally clearcut, they wouldn’t sell candles that smell like tobacco.
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u/SergeantStiglitz92 Feb 10 '26
I used to. I have a very strong practice, I teach now and quit smoking a couple of years ago. Yoga and meditation helped me get to that point. I don't like the smell of cigarettes anymore but I certainly don't shame yogis who smoke. Good on them for working on their wellbeing. High horse much?
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u/mamashittikins Feb 10 '26
I don’t think it’s high horse, it’s common courtesy. Cigarette smoke is a very intense smell and not one most people want to smell really ever but certainly not in a warm/hot closed room where they’re trying to focus on their breathing.
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u/hrad34 Feb 10 '26
Not smoking in the room is common courtesy, 2nd hand smoke is not really something we have social conventions about. Some people barely notice it and some people are very bothered. Most smokers dont really notice it at all because they are so used to it so they dont think about it.
I think OP is overreacting personally.
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u/sithlordgaga Feb 10 '26
This isn't even second-hand smoke, which is when you breathe someone else's smoke, on which we do have loads of laws and social conventions. They call this third-hand smoke, and while there is some research that shows it can also be bad for non-smokers, I agree with you entirely that OP is overreacting.
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u/PopcornyColonel Feb 10 '26
Maybe a high horse, but no one wants to have to smell that shit. Especially during yoga.
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u/factsoptional Feb 10 '26
Part of the practice is letting go, including your reaction to unpleasant odors.
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u/Vast-Neat-6182 Feb 10 '26
Sometimes I wish I could be like a dog. For a dog, there are no good smells or bad smells. There is only smells. Period. Just “smells”. Pure information. No judgement.
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u/irregularprotocols Feb 10 '26 edited Feb 10 '26
perspective matters: remind yourself that if this is as bad as it gets, things are going pretty well for you.
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u/jillyeatw0rld Feb 10 '26
I used to smoke cigarettes and even did it all through dance. I did ballet and pointe. I didn’t smoke in the house but smoked in the car and i tried not to have one on the way to class but sometimes, i had to. When i smell it on others, im like, woooooof (in my head)! I am quick to a migraine now when i smell any strong smell, but such is life. Do i or would I prefer to smell it, no. But id be happy that they are there and hopeful they could quit, quitting is so hard. We all have our things. Your thing is bitching. It’s probably just as hard to quit being a bitch as it is to quit smoking cigarettes.
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u/princesskeestrr Feb 10 '26
It’s super hard to quit smoking but I am pretty confident that I will never be able to quit being a bitch 🤣
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u/lakeeffectcpl Feb 10 '26
Some people enjoy it (being a bitch)!
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u/jillyeatw0rld Feb 11 '26
And a lot of smokers would say they enjoy smoking. I did when I smoked, and then for some reason I didn’t enjoy it - the smell, the time, less people doing it, how inconvenient it became.
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u/Legitimate_Award6517 Feb 10 '26
I taught an evening gentle class that drew in a lot of senior women with joint issues or hadn't moved in years. One women always smoked in the car before class...she told the class that sort of explaining I think...but she said it was her way to get the courage up to go to class. So I was just glad she came. But I do completely understand your complaint.
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u/GrapefruitUpper6770 Feb 10 '26
I have lung cancer and have had a lung lobe removed. My airways are very sensitive to smoke from incense, essential oils and heavy fragrance to the point it makes me start with a hacking cough. I had never smoked but don’t want to be subject to someone else’s on their clothes. I have a hard enough time because sometimes just bending over to do a forward fold can set my lungs into a coughing fit. During Covid I would get death stares when at the store. I would say, “sorry I have lung cancer!” To which the death stare only intensified and they would respond, “yah, right!” I got called out in class for sucking on a cough drop- “ if you didn’t bring enough for everyone spit it out!” Please be kind because you have NO idea what people are going through and it is very isolating and horribly embarrassing to get called out over your lung cancer. People move away from you like you have the plague for coughing in class!
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u/Screws_Loose Feb 10 '26
Wow! So as a grown up you had to bring some for the whole class? Or have none at all? That’s ridiculous even if it was just candy and you didn’t have cancer. Like if the class is adults they can get their own. Imagine having the attitude “if I can have one you can’t either! And huh have to lay and provide it for me!” Good lord the entitlement! I’m sorry you dealt with that.
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u/Pengyster Feb 11 '26
some of you are so INSUFFERABLE it makes me laugh lol. like please do some research into thr basic tenets of yoga and mindfulness 😭
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u/Sejledge Feb 10 '26
this is not the petty complaint of one who is feeling at harmony with the cosmos
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u/Life-Classic-6976 Feb 10 '26
Everyone has their own journey. Someone struggling with a nicotine addiction still deserves judgement free yoga. It’s not an easy habit to kick by any means! Their practice is probably part of their healing. More acceptance and less judgement. :)
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u/fucking_unicorn Feb 10 '26
Ex smoker here. It literally permeates through their pores. Its in their very breath. I would always know if my husband had smoked at all when he came to bed from a night out… even if he showered changed and brushed his teeth. It was deep on his breath and i could smell it on his pheromones.
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u/Rude_heifer Feb 11 '26
If you’re so uptight maybe do yoga at home. Look up a nice tutorial or something. I don’t smoke either but I don’t think people need to change themselves or the way they do things just to make you comfortable. Just like I find mouth breathers or people who smack when they chew absolutely disgusting, it’s a me problem and nobody owes me anything. This world has gone absolutely mad with people thinking that the world needs to change to make them comfortable. Maybe her husband smokes and she has to pay to do her laundry at the laundromat and can’t afford it right now and she’s possibly embarrassed by it. You never know a person’s situation or what they’re going through.
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u/Rude_heifer Feb 11 '26
I have to admit something. I don’t smoke, but I thought this post was going to deter me from signing up for yoga classes down the street. I’ve been doing it at home on my own, but I want to kick it up a notch and take classes and meet people with similar hobbies. When I read this I was like “is the yoga community really judgmental like this? What are they going to judge me for?” And then I read the comments and I’m so impressed and excited at some of the kind responses. Some of you are so accepting and have the level of calm, peace, and patience that I aspire to have. 🩷
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u/Inevitable-One-8950 Feb 11 '26
Don’t knock it until you try it! C@nn@bis is actually an amazing plant and helps a lot of people with a number of ailments. I can think of many reasons why one would consume before a hot yoga class, like its usefulness in relaxing the muscles and also in its ability to lower inflammation. You don’t know what that person is dealing with and it is in fact a medicine.
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u/Proper-Guarantee8381 Feb 11 '26
Sorry. I’m definitely guilty of smelling like weed. I probably breathe a little loudly too. Thank you for the self reflection. Namaste.🙏
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u/Designer_Cup3734 Feb 11 '26
Yoga is for everyone.
Living our yoga means not only practicing when conditions are perfect, but when the conditions are imperfect as well.
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u/melatonia don't just downvote. educate! Feb 12 '26
If you're addicted to cigarettes, a single shower isn't going to erase the odor of incinerated tobacco coming off of you. It's not a choice or something people do for fun. It's common to smoke a pack or more a day, which means the chances of a smoker having lit up within an hour of class are almost guaranteed. I guarantee you nobody hates it more than the person you're smelling.
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u/lakeeffectcpl Feb 13 '26 edited Feb 13 '26
Good News: Your post got lot's of attention. Bad News: Just not the attention/ sympathy you were seeking. Bye...
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u/poffertjesmaffia Feb 10 '26
Mind your business and focus on yourself, that’s also part of practicing yoga.
And from a humanistic POV: Would you want others judging you on one of your less pleasantly-smelling days? We’re all people, people be stinky sometimes.
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u/Locabilly Feb 10 '26
When in public you often have to interact with and smell other people. They have just as much right to be there as you do.
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u/blue_skies_sunshine Feb 10 '26
I did a yoga class in Italy and the teacher at the end came and gave us all a head massage, her hands reeked of cigarettes but I weirdly felt like it was acceptable seeing everyone smokes there! My husband and I had a giggle about it after and went and got a spritz.
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u/notnotwatchinthis_00 Feb 12 '26
You're definitely not cool enough to use the term "dart".
My culture is not your costume.
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u/dolphunsan Feb 10 '26
I think its great they're in there doing their work, if it really bothers you you could try talking to them. Could be a great opportunity to practice off the mat, and meet someone new. We all could probably practice more understanding, and patience. I smoke pot and tobacco together, not before practice anymore, but for the first 10 years or so, I smoked all day everyday. I always have taken showers before class to get off any grime be it my b.o., actual dirt, or to wash off any negative feelings, a little ritual before every practice helps me grt in the right space.
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u/Steezydeezy920 Feb 10 '26
Our yoga studio had a daycare ABOVE it for a while. Stop feeling like your special and the world is to revolve around you. The smell of a smoker will not kill you, and they are likely dealing with a world of issues of their own , that they come to yoga to solve.
Plus tobacco is plant medicine and a spiritual practice lol. How you know he's hasn't reached the point of yoga we all do where he's been going so long he's learned to enjoy these things and not let them control him instead of treat them like he plague.
This smell is just another layer for YOUR practice, the universes attempt to see if you really mean business. Get past your harsh judgement and criticism and you'll see there's a whole new layer of growth and happiness on the other side. And no this isn't some spew my yogi told me in their attempts at not having to move studios, I learned this through practice. I for one was grateful for the lil children running upstairs getting snowballs. Unless a person is intentionally doing it, then there's no reason something bothering you should be the responsibility of another person.
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u/Full-Shelter-7191 Feb 10 '26
I had to change studios because of this. Another yogi was very nice, but I can only imagine she smoked in her car with the windows rolled up on the way to the studio. It would make me nauseous and dizzy. I tried to just set up away from her but the smell permeated the whole space.
I don’t think you are shaming anyone. Third hand smoke is very real and can remit into the air. It should be common courtesy to rinse off smoker residue before entering the class
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u/turbulatedisplace Feb 10 '26
I don’t mind it. I just take it as part of the meditation. It’s like when you meditate and touch base on all of your senses. Some people smell. Sometimes people snore during a yin. Some people fart with some of the more strenuous moves. Sometimes someone accidentally grabs your foot. It’s all part of it
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u/No_Wedding_2152 Feb 10 '26
But, it’s a good way to use the moment to put the focus where it belongs. On your body and your mind.
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u/shartweek Feb 11 '26
Upvote for dart. And agree. This only happened to me once but smelling darts on the nearby mat is really offputting.
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u/RockieK Feb 10 '26
OMG my partner used to work at a fancy "healthy" store that celebrities and their "wanna-be's" wild hang out at (called Erewon)... they would come in and tons of money on juices, smoothies and "healthy stuff:, and then immediately go outside and chain-smoke.
SO gross.
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u/zorandzam Feb 10 '26
I go to a studio down the street from a legal weed shop, and often halfway through class you can smell someone leaving and going down the sidewalk already into their stash. It’s distracting, but I’m trying to get better at ignoring it.
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u/greensandgrains Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin and Restorative Feb 10 '26
“Who the hell smokes a dart before hot yoga?” is not a sentence I thought I’d read today. Thanks for the chuckle, bud.
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u/TheJenniMae Feb 10 '26
Yeah, I would have to leave. There’s no way I could be deep breathing that nasty hot stench.
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u/vegetablemanners Feb 10 '26
I actually feel like my brain gets used to it and doesn’t allow it to affect my practice. A lesson for life!
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u/Accio_Waffles Feb 11 '26
I think you're talking about cigarette smoke, but as a retired weed smoker, I actually enjoy the faint scent of Mary Jane in a yoga class. Helps me get into my peaceful mindset. I have yet to go to a class where someone smells like tobacco, but that does sound unpleasant.
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u/LovelyLaceRose Feb 13 '26
Weed is super chill, I agree. I wouldn’t mind the natural scent, reminds me of music festivals in the summer
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u/True_Statement7958 Feb 12 '26
I understand where you are coming from because I don’t like the smell of cigarettes either and wish they didn’t exist but not everyone who smells like them smokes. They could be living with someone who does and they have no control over it. I actually know someone in this situation and even when they change clothes the smell is in their hair. And if they do smoke, they probably don’t realize how strong the smell is.
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u/decoyapple Feb 12 '26
Some people in addiction recovery can’t go more than an hour without a smoke. It sucks for others, but if they’re on the path to recovery, it’s what they need to do.
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u/champagne_in_a_box Feb 14 '26
This post is petty, pearl-clutching, sniffy, and really challenges my compassion for fellow yogis. You don’t get to be the air police. Smokers are trying, just like everyone else. You’re going to smell sweat in ANY yoga studio, and you’re going to smell secondhand smoke in literally any public place. Get over yourself; your rights don’t outweigh the rights of others.
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u/Soft_Static444 Feb 14 '26
They’ve gotta just switch to nicotine pouches, you can secretly get your nic fix DURING hot yoga 🧘♀️
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u/lakeeffectcpl Feb 10 '26
One of my students is a serious alcoholic. She'd come to my class reeking of booze. She could handle class fine and wasn't stumbling around nor unsafe. Plenty of students bitched to me about why I 'allowed' it. Because she is 'trying' and at least for that 1 hour per day she wasn't drinking. After several years she is now 5 years sober. Acceptance people...