Smoking COPD patients?

I have a friend with copd who continues to smoke and her doctor
has advised her to check into palliative care. As her friend, I take
her on errands, sometimes with her husband who also smokes,
and they usually want to stop and eat at a restaurant. They will
ask to sit in a smoking section. Since I do not want to be exposed
to second hand smoke and I don't want to condone their smoking
and see someone I care about get even sicker, what should I do?

Frustrated...

You can not do anything. Tobacco is addictive. Very addictive.

It doesn't kill 400,000 people a year because it is easy to quit.

When someone has an incurable and/or fatal disease they sometimes feel they have less incentive to quit. "Why go through the stress of quitting if I am going to die regardless".

You should not have to endure second-hand smoke for any reason. Be honest about this. It is your right.

I know. I am a smoker. I am desperately trying to quit ... AGAIN.

I am chewing a piece of nicotine gum as I write this.

aww :( i feel your pain.

well if they don`t WANT to stop smoking, then i don`t think theres any way to make them quit.....just sit them down and tell them how you feel about the situation, thats probably about all that you can do. good luck

you can't force them to stop smoking, but you don't have to be foced to put your health in jeopardy. you can tell them that point blank, but if you are not comfortable with being so blunt then you can try a more subtle approach. when you go to the restaurant you could meet the hostess and request the table. when the hostess asks smoking or non, say non. if your friend says...no smoking, you can say that you are coming down with a respiratory infection or feel wheezy, or don't want to eat around smoking.