Smoking at work........

**Dave S** · 08-Apr-13, 06:47 AM

The way I see it, governments the world over, have found that by victimising smokers there is easy money to be made, that is, additional taxes or "Sin" tax as we more commonly know it. The tabbaco companies don't complain as they just increase their prices and this supplements their turnover and takes care of the extra levies applied to them. As smoking is both an addiction and a habit, it is unlikely that many people will quit, some will, but the minority. To get public support for the scheme is easy, people are gullible and are likely to beleive whatever they are told when it comes to saving their health or environment, so you just need to create a worldwide scare as to the dangers of smoking, and voila! you can now victimise smokers without having a major outcry from the general public as they have now been brainwashed into thinking that your intentions are for their benefit.

However, if you were to try tackling the real dangers like diesel dust you would have a far greater task on your hands, most people are not going to follow you when the actual cost is going to hit their pockets, so you see, the actual attack on smokers is in fact driven by nothing more than greed. There are a lot of things out there that are far more dangerous than 2nd-hand smoke, but it would cost too much to tackle these issues, so rather, hit the soft targets that are easy and everyone will perseve that you are doing some good for the general population.

As far as being inconsiderate or belittling to non-smokers?? I don't get your drift here, but then maybe it's because I have always considered those around me when I smoke and I have always had a strong consideration especially for children. For instance, if I wish to smoke and there are adult non-smokers around, I will first ask the non-smokers if they would mind me lighting up, if there are children present, I just simply won't smoke. I fail to see how this targets me as a criminal? Now with new legistlation, all the smokers are forced to congregate in small areas, where the smoke becomes so dense that when you walk past, you and your children are now forced to breathe these toxic fumes, but instead of attacking the people that have caused this problem (Gov.), you attack the smoker, why? because it is easier for us to attack a soft target rather than the real issue.

**Dave S** · 08-Apr-13, 06:51 AM

Adrian, let's just say, I'm so glad I will never work in your company...

**adrianh** · 08-Apr-13, 07:23 AM

Dave - you would just love the clean air.

**Dave S** · 08-Apr-13, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by adrianh

Dave - you would just love the clean air.

Naah, the air would still be full of unseen diesel smoke...

**adrianh** · 08-Apr-13, 08:39 AM

Diesel smoke or no diesel smoke, smoking gives you lung cancer and you stand a good chance of dying a horrible death. I stopped smoking while I was living in JHB and again, diesel smoke or no diesel smoke I still feel 100000x better physically from having stopped. You will never ever convince me to condone smoking in any form or for any reason. I spent too much time with lung infections, bronchitis etc myself and I spent a number of weeks with my mother in law on her deathbed dying of lung cancer to be swayed in my views.

Smoking is bad for you and it is bad for the people around the smoker. Just as I do not expose my workers on purpose to petrol fumes I don't expose them to cigarette smoke. If I hire a smoker then I am endangering the lives of myself and other employees by exposing us to cigarette smoke which is known to be the no 1 cause of lung cancer. I am not willing to sacrifice the wellbeing of the many for the vices of the few!

**Dave S** · 08-Apr-13, 12:40 PM

I Know when I'm beat, it's just such a pity that most people assume that lung cancer (and other ailments) are caused by smoking, because they have been told so, and I know that smoking is bad for me, not because someone told me so, but because I feel it's effects. Lung cancer may be more predominant in smokers, but I can assure you, it is not the cause of cancer. I truly admire those that have stopped smoking, they have shown the willpower that I do not have, and I respect your choices not to smoke, please allow me the same courtesy.

**adrianh** · 08-Apr-13, 12:57 PM

it's just such a pity that most people assume that lung cancer (and other ailments) are caused by smoking, because they have been told so

Lung cancer may be more predominant in smokers, but I can assure you, it is not the cause of cancer.

hmmm...interesting theories, somewhat akin to beetroot cures AIDS....

I respect your choices not to smoke, please allow me the same courtesy.

You are free to do as you please but I will not employ you because your vice will pose a health risk to my staff. None of my employees smoke so adding a smoker would infringe on their rights to have clean air in the workplace.

**vieome** · 08-Apr-13, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by adrianh

hmmm...interesting theories, somewhat akin to beetroot cures AIDS....

You are free to do as you please but I will not employ you because your vice will pose a health risk to my staff. None of my employees smoke so adding a smoker would infringe on their rights to have clean air in the workplace.

I never knew that arguing(discussing) about smoking could be like argueing about religion. I agree 100 with you adrianh, it is your right to hire who ever feel it fit for the position you offer. But I wanted to ask what happens when someone working for you, decides to give up their freedom to become a nicotine addict. Do you fire them?

**adrianh** · 08-Apr-13, 01:59 PM

No I wont fire them. If they keep their habit out of the workplace then they can do as they please.

**Blurock** · 08-Apr-13, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by Dave S

I Know when I'm beat, it's just such a pity that most people assume that lung cancer (and other ailments) are caused by smoking, because they have been told so, and I know that smoking is bad for me, not because someone told me so, but because I feel it's effects. Lung cancer may be more predominant in smokers, but I can assure you, it is not the cause of cancer. I truly admire those that have stopped smoking, they have shown the willpower that I do not have, and I respect your choices not to smoke, please allow me the same courtesy.

Dave, I have lost enough friends through lung cancer caused by heavy smoking, to know what the effects of smoking is. You can keep on ignoring the facts and bury your head in the sand. As you have said; you can feel the effects of smoking. So don't pretend that it is healthy, not even to calm the nerves.