Do they think it's ok?

I'm not quite sure why this is all of a sudden an issue with me...but it is.
(Warning: This post may offend some people and that is not my intent. None the less - this is my blog, my thoughts, my feelings and you as a reader CHOOSE to read this. You're not forced and by no means do I expect you to agree with my opinion.)

Now - that said...this is what I'm wondering:
Do smokers really think it's ok to toss their cigarette butts on the ground?

Growing up, my mom and dad both smoked. As a kid, I thought nothing of them tossing their butts out the car window, or freely flicking them out of their hands onto the ground. I even remember asking my mom one day why she did that. Her response was something along the lines of, "Honey - it's ok. The birds will pick them apart and use them to make nests. If there's anything left, it will dissolve".

Well - the older I get and the more smokers I notice flickering their butts onto the ground, the more upset I get. I've never been a smoker..but let's say I were to freely toss my receipts on the ground. They too are made out of paper which will eventually disintegrate. However...that would be considered littering. And - receipts don't have any tabacco left on them.

So - I'm not sure I understand their reasoning. It's convenient maybe so they don't have to empty their ash trays from their cars, or find the nearest trash can if they're out walking. My point is - the Earth is not our trash can. I understand the overcrowding at landfills, etc...but at least all that trash is confined to one space. It's not tossed around freely like city tumbleweed. I'm anxiously waiting to see how this "Smoke Free Michigan" campaign pans out.