I don't see that as a good measure of esteem.
Well lets add on. The nation is banning smoking in restaurants, bars, airports, all public buildings. The nation has special taxes on the products smokers use. The nation bans advertisements from smokers. The nation shuns movies that has smokers in them. The nation has placed entire health departments against smoking. The nation has charged smokers more for health and life insurance.
However none of these steps have been taken against foreigners.
Maybe esteem is too weak a word to describe the nations attitude to smokers. Maybe the word should be despise or hate.