This thread grew to tremendeously long in a few days, I've given up reading at page 6
Just my 0.02$:
I am european, right now living in Switzerland, which is the worst place I've ever been for non-smokers. People smoke in the train station, bus stops, streets, you can't possibly get away with clear lungs. The media is also biased, articles coming out with opinions "I (the interviewee) don't think, smoking is harmful" statements from "doctors" (??) and everyday people. With today's clean engines, cigarette smoke is much worse, than the car exhaust you inhale on the street.
I do not dispute the right of anyone for smoking - neither for taking heroin shots, but clean areas have to be provided for those who don't smoke (they are the majority anyway). As someone wrote before: smoking policies have to be declared by the boaters/dive schools. I personally tolerate some smoke, but imagine someone (e.g. canadian visiting Greece) paying 1+k$ for a flight and 2-3k$ for a liveaboard then sufficated by smoke? Come on, He/She is the turist, he/she is PAYING! And the turist is paying to enjoy the ride, not to suffer.
OTOH, the russian turist (sorry for non-smoker russian readers) would like to enjoy a shaft after a nice dive with his friends/family. They are also paying customers, but incompatible with the non-smoker ones! put them on a different boat and everyone will be happy.
Dumping the butts (and anything non-degradable) in the ocean: this should mean immediate ban from further diving. Smoking boats have to be equipped with proper & easy-to-use disposal possibilities. I just recall a trip in Australia, there was an italian guy smoking all the time and throwing butts everywere we went in 3 national parks. Disgusting. Someone wrote earlier, that this is a XXI. century problem: yes, we realized, that we are too many and if we pollute the environment, sooner or later there will be no environment. The only thing to see underwater will be plastic trash, cigarette butts and tar...