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Smoke Breaks, Health, Smokers' Rights and Festering Resentment

Tobacco Chewer

VA
Lab Tech
Wed Dec 24, 2008 9:49 AM

Post Reply

Don't blow smoke on me and I won't spit on you.

Re: Tobacco Chewer

Prof
Small College
Fri Dec 26, 2008 8:39 PM
If you spit upon me rest assured that you will not spit again until all dental procedures are finished.

Re: Tobacco Chewer

Clerk
DOI
Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:44 PM
Dear Small Prof:

I'm shaking in my boots.......probably because I'm laughing so hard.

Re: Tobacco Chewer

Clerk
DOI
Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:46 PM
You do raise a good point, VA Lab Tech. Smokeless tobacco should be included in any tobacco ban.

Smoking Ban

Biologist
Dept. of Defense
Wed Dec 24, 2008 9:51 AM

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I am in total favor of a complete smoking ban. I quit 30 years ago and have not looked back. About ten years ago I submitted a proposal to our Squadron Commander whereby employess that did not smoke would be given an extra 15 minutes on each side of the lunch hour for health breaks. I calculated the average time that person who smokes goes outside to imbinbe and it is easily 15 minutes each hour in some cases and longer in others. That is about two hours before and after lunch that is wasted. I use my lunch hour for exercising and even 30 minutes would make the whole process more enjoyable. It was not even given a fair hearing. The contention that smokers have any rights that are different from non smokers is ludicrous. If I got up and walked around for 15 minutes each hour my boss would have a cow and would probably make a stink about it but let a co-worker go out to smoke and nothing is said.

Re: Smoking Ban

Nameless, Faceless Nobody
DOD
Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:16 AM
(Amused) I DID take 10 minute "walk breaks" every hour & a Half for about 6 months when I was having trouble controlling my blood sugars. I had other health issues so couldn't take any long walks anywhere with uneven terrain, so I walked around the building twice or thrice every hour & 1/2. You know who complained??? Smokers. Fortunately my commander had a sense of perspective.

Re: Smoking Ban

Analyst
Designated Smoking Area
Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:53 PM
Amazing a former smoker is in favor of forcing his opinion on others! I know smoking is bad for my health, and I will quit just as soon as I am ready. However, cigarettes are legal, so if I choose to partake, that is my perogative. I 100% agree that there should be enforced designated times and locations. However, I don't support a law making you eat only healthy foods during your lunch and breaks, so let me smoke on mine! I agree that smokers should pay more for health insurance than non-smokers ... but so should obese people ... and families with 10 kids should pay a lot more for health insurance than a family of 2....

Smoker's rights

Supervisor
VA
Wed Dec 24, 2008 9:52 AM

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When I walk by an obese individual I never recall coughing or having a sore throat later or the effects of the individuals obesity affecting my health! HMMMMM!

Smoking Breaks Survey

Procurement Analyst
DOJ/U.S. Marshals Service
Wed Dec 24, 2008 9:57 AM

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I'm in agreement with those comments for the ban of smoking in and outside buildings. Why should the federal government subsidize someone's addiction by permitting them extra time for their breaks or space in which to practice their addiction. If anything the government should be more accommodating to assist employees becoming more healthy, which will have benefits in all aspects of work and home life.

smoking

IT Spc
IRS
Wed Dec 24, 2008 9:58 AM

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Why just ban smoking in the workplace? Why not ban it on federal property altogether? And stop bringing up "smokers rights" in response! In the workplace our rights are limited. After all, it's illegal to keep an open bottle of booze in your desk, and don't alcoholics have rights?

dont forget the history folks

it speclst
nps
Wed Dec 24, 2008 9:59 AM

Post Reply

ouch! such vast negativity! i smoked for over 20 years, quit for 5, went back for 6 mo and then quit for good. if this country hadn't been heavily pro-smoking for decades we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. Ok, so now public buildings you can't smoke in - they now leave it to the casinos in which my husband works and couldn't quit for good because he's bombarded by it tho he did give it a very good try. All us ex-smokers are usually major naysayers but you have to remember many people just can't quit without a great deal of help and won't unless they really want to in the first place. The tobacco companies really did their job well by creating an incredibly addictive product. We need to help people quit instead of berating them all the time. I support a ban in general but you have to create a positive environment, not a negative one.

Smokers and Breaks

Retired Manager
VA
Wed Dec 24, 2008 10:08 AM

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Smokers should be allowed to smoke in designated areas or outside as long as they do so in their regularly allowed break or lunch period. No extra time should be allowed to smoke or for any other personal activity during workhours. This includes non emergency personal calls, or personal visits to others in the work areas. The resentment caused by extra breaks is not limited only to smoke breaks.

Re: Smokers and Breaks

VA
Admin Support Assistant
Wed Dec 24, 2008 11:30 AM
Designated areas indeed. I had a supervisor who would light up as soon as she exited the building and smoked all the way across campus to the main building. She took her "stroll" multiple times a day and got away with it, but yet if anyone arrived five minutes late to work in the morning, she made them take 15 minutes of AL. What a hypocrit.
Total Comments: 126
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