Smoking at work........

**Newretailer** · 05-Mar-13, 12:48 PM

I cannot resist replying to this thread. I smoked for 20 years. The stricter laws started coming in while I was still smoking and even then I was happy to work in an environment that was smoke-free. Every hour us smokers got up and stood outside smoking, taking at least 10 minutes. I wasted a LOT of time. The first thing I realised when I gave up is how productive I suddenly was. Now, if someone smokes close to me my chest constricts and I struggle to breath. Do smokers care? Some do, but many are inconsiderate. As long as they get their fix.

I too will never employ someone who smokes. I know first-hand how much time gets wasted. I think the smoking laws are wonderful. When I started working, the majority of people smoked. By the time I left 25 years later, I was often in a meeting of 10 people where no one smoked.

As far as the alcohol argument goes, I feel the same about alcohol and don't drink. I am past the stage where I need a crutch to go through the world . I agree 100% with everything Adrian said. I realise how wonderful it is not to have to absorb someone else's second-hand smoke whenever I do walk past a smoker. One of the good things the government did.

**tec0** · 05-Mar-13, 01:22 PM

All I see is ego, this thread stinks of it. One day you may find yourself on the losing end where someone with a silver spoon up there a$$ tells you, you are not allowed to live anymore. There reasons will be shallow and you will feel what others have felt when you did it to them. Thankfully I know this is how life works. The table always turn. Right now you are free to judge. But one-day you will be judged. Your judge will be like you in every way and in every form. I experienced it thus I know this to be true.

Now I am sure you think this is BS and all that. And you may well have a snappy comeback for what is written here. But I would rather ask of you to look at solutions "electronic smokes are actually inexpensive once you get the kit" But if you feel you want to take someone's ability away to provide for her/himself and there family.

I cannot support that at all... This is what I call the god complex... Only you matters.

Yea I think I have seen enough.

***For when men call themselves gods of the world, it will not be a world worth living in***

**Newretailer** · 05-Mar-13, 01:41 PM

Really Tec0? All I see is someone who becomes upset if people do not agree with him. As far as the god complex, can you see the irony? You are the smoker and only your smoking matters.

**Citizen X** · 05-Mar-13, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by Newretailer

I cannot resist replying to this thread. I smoked for 20 years. The stricter laws started coming in while I was still smoking and even then I was happy to work in an environment that was smoke-free. Every hour us smokers got up and stood outside smoking, taking at least 10 minutes. I wasted a LOT of time. The first thing I realised when I gave up is how productive I suddenly was. Now, if someone smokes close to me my chest constricts and I struggle to breath. Do smokers care? Some do, but many are inconsiderate. As long as they get their fix.

I too will never employ someone who smokes. I know first-hand how much time gets wasted. I think the smoking laws are wonderful. When I started working, the majority of people smoked. By the time I left 25 years later, I was often in a meeting of 10 people where no one smoked.

As far as the alcohol argument goes, I feel the same about alcohol and don't drink. I am past the stage where I need a crutch to go through the world . I agree 100% with everything Adrian said. I realise how wonderful it is not to have to absorb someone else's second-hand smoke whenever I do walk past a smoker. One of the good things the government did.

Legally its unfair discrimination to discriminate against a person who smokes i.e. the only reason you don't want to hire him/her is because they smoke! You may however have a code of conduct prohibiting smoking on your premises but your employee should be free to go and have a smoke in his/her tea time or lunch time.

**Justloadit** · 05-Mar-13, 02:18 PM

Whilst I do not approve of drinking and driving, it is interesting that we judge alcoholics killing people, but if statistics be done, many many more people die from the effects of smoking than drunken driving.

How Many People Died from Smoking? yearly in the US over 440,000
About how many people die each year from drunk driving accidents? yearly in the US about 12,000

**adrianh** · 05-Mar-13, 02:50 PM

Vanash, tec0

Will you emply a person who has says that he has to have a terrible stinky fart every hour and then carries the smell around with him?
or
Will you employ a person that doesn't bath and stinks all the time?

Come on - will you?

don't give me the coy "by the book" answer, give me your honest answer.

**Chrisjan B** · 05-Mar-13, 03:06 PM

What tec0 try to say (I THINK) is that we are moving to a nanny state where the government tell you what to do and someday there will be some law that forces you into something you don't want or like.

It is all about choice and having control of your actions...

I myself enjoy a drink for the fun of it and also because I like the taste, if you don't drink I will not force you... - the choice is yours...

**adrianh** · 05-Mar-13, 03:15 PM

Don't you think that the government has an obligation to stop the wastage of taxpayers money? Ok, I am sure that you agree that the government does.

So, should the government blindly let people give themselves lung cancer which will cost the tax payer a fortune in medical bills if the person were to go to a government hospital?
We say on the one hand that prevention is better than cure, but we sulk on the other hand when society tries to prevent us from harming ourselves.

It's a matter of having your cake and eating it, you want the government to look after your wellbeing but you don't want the government to stop you from harming yourself...

**Newretailer** · 05-Mar-13, 03:15 PM

The problem is, Chrismine, that when you smoke your behaviour does affect others around you. I have no problem with anyone smoking at home or in their car as long as I am not in it. Smokers take away the rights of non-smokers if we are forced to breath what a smoker just blew out. The current laws simply protect the rights of non-smokers too. One thing smokers do not realise is whilst you may not smell smoke, to a non-smoker it is a very strong and unpleasant smell.

I am old enough to remember the days when you could smoke in movie houses and at your desk at work. It was not pleasant.

**Citizen X** · 05-Mar-13, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by adrianh

Vanash, tec0

Will you emply a person who has says that he has to have a terrible stinky fart every hour and then carries the smell around with him?
or
Will you employ a person that doesn't bath and stinks all the time?

Come on - will you?

don't give me the coy "by the book" answer, give me your honest answer.

On personal hygiene, you have got a valid point! This is why interviews are so very important. If you in the fod industry, you ideally want someone who's presentable and takes personal hygiene serious. The same applies to the hospitatlity industry etc.
Adrian, what if your potential employee tells you that he/she won't smoke in your premises at all and will only smoke during tea time and lunch time. Surely in this case this potential employee's smoking can no longer be an issue for employment as they not smoking at work?