Lunch and smoke breaks

[Jonmo1]

I think one 15 minute smoke was allowed in each the morning and afternoon, for smoker's only.

THAT would definately be illegal and cause for a lawsuit.

 

[Legacy 96851]

THAT would definately be illegal and cause for a lawsuit.

Yeah well, it certainly wasn't the only illegal thing they did.

It was kind of a different situation though - we're not talking an office - it was a bar, where no one really over the age of 25 worked, so it's not terribly surprising. And, at 18 years old, working my way through college, I wasn't going to be the one to file a lawsuit (not that life at 19, working one's way through college, is so much different).
Smoking's not allowed in bars here anymore anyway.

 

[barry houdini]

Smoking's not allowed in bars here anymore anyway.

Nor here. In fact smoking is banned in all enclosed public places (including workplaces) as of July 1st 2007 see here

 

[Peter_SSs]

Nor here. In fact smoking is banned in all enclosed public places (including workplaces) as of July 1st 2007 see here

That's pretty much the case here in Australia too. And even some public non-enclosed places.

In fact, smoking is banned in some 'private' places as well. For example, in some states is is illegal to smoke in a motor vehicle if children are also in the vehicle.

 

[pbt]

I recently went back to Hawaii to visit family. The law there now is no smoking in public places also.

To top it off, if you want to step outside for your smoke, you have to be 50ft from any window or door of the building.

I found this out quite quickly after landing at the airport.

I proceded outside the terminal to where the drop off/pickup area was to light up after a 5 hour flight. This area is an open area with cars buzzing by.

I was promptly approched by security and was told "The Law".
Seems that the door I exited and the concrete pavement I was standing on was NOt 50ft away from the door.

I had to walk the length of the building (maybe 100+ yds to the end) to light up.

Now my rant:

Darn those Non Smokers: All these Laws making it tough on us Smokers.

Don't get me wrong, thou, I will respect a Non Smoker if he/she is within range of my smoke. I live in Las Vegas now, there is still smoking allowed in the Casinos (don't think the Casino mongels will ever let the Law stop that).

So if I suspect the person on the machine next to me is a Non Smoker, I won't light up.

But on the flip side, if I am there first,have a cigarrette already going, and they sit down and start "waving there hand to chase the smoke away", Too Bad.

Just my two bits worth.

Harry

Smoker of 1.5 - 2 packs a day for close to 40 years

 

[DonkeyOte]

In the UK being a smoker has become increasingly difficult. This is not solely the result of draconian governmental legislation, no, partly responsible for the decline in smokers is the infamous "Credit Crunch". Why ? Well put simply it's now too difficult to obtain the remortgage required to buy them in the first place! I stopped smoking about five years ago when it was around £5 / $10 for a pack of 20... I shudder to think what they cost now... I suspect now they are second only to oil in the absurd pricing stakes and the YOY increases probably rivals that of Zimbabwean inflation.

I don't condone smoking and it has obvious impacts on health etc but it is for others to decide as to whether or not they smoke. Having lived in London I found nothing more irritating than the non-smoker brigade complaing about 2nd hand smoke only to drive home to their houses in Chelsea is some huge 4x4... I seem to recall some study showing that the air pollution in major cities was more damaging than 2nd hand smoke for it's citizens ... this would not surprise me in the least.

Smoking in the UK is also one of those peverse arrangements where the tax recouped by the government on tobacco sales outweighs the costs borne by the government treating smoke related illnesses... no one would argue the government does not have a moral duty to try and curb smoking, however, I wonder how they will tax the populace to make up the tax deficit as smokers decline...

 

[Patience]

I have to say I am in favour of the smoking ban in public places, but then I am n non smoker. I don't think I could smoke, for one it seems dead expensive!

However going back to the issue of not letting employees smoke in their own homes seems wired. I can understand the logic behind it, but I really don't think I would want to work for a company that is so keen to cut costs that they impose stupid rules that effectively takes away a persons right to do whatever to their own body in their own home. If I go to the home of a smoker I wouldn't dream of telling them they couldn't smoke.

 

[arkusM]

This is actually an interesting topic. I am very conflicted about it. On one hand, the healthcare costs are interesting, but on the other hand the personal freedoms issue(the supposed basis of much of our society(ies)). I wonder what it will be next when the tobacco lobbyists slay this dragon then what? Will they go quietly into the night? I venture they will not but find some new campaign to champion. And that disturbs me. Will it be state food control, state exercise programs, state sterilizations? At what point do we say enough is enough? <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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But then again, as a Canadian citizen with socialized heathcare, do I want to pay for those extreme sport participants that get hurt/killed/lost pursuing their “interests”….<o></o>
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[Jonmo1]

I'll just say this...

Everyone knows there is a risk of getting killed (or killing someone else) when you get into a Car. But we do it anyway right? Why, because we choose to.

I see no difference between that, and a person's choice to smoke. Even the second hand smoke killing other non smokers. You can be killed by a car even if you're not in one. Second hand smoke is a load of crap anyway. There is more harmfull stuff in the air from the Industrial world than from cigarrettes.

And don't say you have no choice but to drive a car. Bull. You could get an apartment closer to where you work, then walk to work. It would probably be good for you. Driving a car is a choice, no different from smoking. There are thousands (probably millions) of people in the major cities like New York and LA who don't own cars. They walk, ride bikes etc. to get around. Yes it's possible, we did it before the car was invented..

Sure, you should probably not smoke in your house or car with children present...That's about as far as I'm willing to go. But if you try to tell me you're going to get cancer from going to a restaraunt or Bar where people are smoking for a couple hours, you're full of it.

I'm fine with smoking outside at work, sure no problem. Becuase other people who work there are nearly forced to be around the smoke. But not at a restaraunt or bar. If you don't like the smoke, don't come in.

Maybe I'll even go this far, Restaraunt and bar owners can make the choice, hey this is a Smoking or Non Smoking restaraunt. Maybe even alternate, 1 week smoking, 1 week NON...That's probably silly, but just a thought...Then each person can choose weather the want to go in or not. But the government shouldn't make it illegal alltogether..

Anyway, that's my peace...

 

[xyzabc198]

Wow...look at all the confliction I made, I LOVE IT, HA!

Just want to say my piece on the matter!

Smoking in bars: The reason smoking in bars is illegal was because barmen weren't all smokers...Would you work in a tabacconist if you didnt smoke? Is anybody FORCING them to be a barman? If you don't want to be around smoke, DONT BE A BARMAN!
I see no problem with sectioning off a room and saying smokers in this room, none smokers in this one!
Smoking around children: Completely evil, dont do it!
Smoking in car: If it's your car, why not?
Smoking at work: Other people might not like it so dont!
Smoking at home: if anyone tries stop me they getting a slap!

One other point, in England, the law states : No smoking in an enclosed public place.
There are 2 exceptions to this rule
1) jail...ok understandable, the inmates need somewhere to smoke...
2)houses of parliament, because the people who made the law, want to smoke themselves...GRRRRR that's just totally hypocritical!