I remember boarding a short regional flight in northern Ontario in the mid 80s. We were placed in a non-smoking section, while the row behind us was smoking. I remember seeing those little ashtray drawers on every seat and every single one no matter smoking or non smoking had cigarette butts and ash in them.
And wherever you walked, malls, stores, grocery stores, banks, schools, hospitals, banquets, dinners, gatherings ... everywhere, anywhere ... someone or a few people were smoking.
People were considered weird or rude or just plain stupid if they asked someone not to smoke in public.