We deduct $50 a pay for smokers and are legally able to do this...but then it brings up the touchy issue of why we allow people to get fat and overweight...or a myriad of other "unhealthy" habits...I would think issues related to obesity kill more people than smoking...but, whatever will help bring our insurance costs down is all that a business cares about...we need to make people more responsible for their health if we are paying for it either as a business or a taxpayer...

@thinktwice How about if they are obese and smoking? My late partner's son is a doctor (Pulmonologist in Richmond - heart of tobacco). He often tells patients to quit smoking and lose weight. In return they report him for being rude. People don't want to hear that they should take action, they only want a pill (and this costs all of us).

Unfortunately, you will only hurt yourself. There are lots of honorable ways to piss people off (especially conservatives).

@JackPedigo I won't. It's been eight months. I'm not about to start up again.
I wouldn't do it to spite anyone, that would be stupid.

@KKGator Good for you. I know this is a touchy subject for some but when you see the effects that have happened to others it forces one to have strong opinions.

I had a German uncle who went through the war in Russia (4 years on the front and 5 years in a gulag in Siberia). He was always a heavy smoker and didn't care what the rules were. He had a doctor he went to regularly (he always talked about his 'Jew' doctor and I would ask if he felt that way why did he go to him and he would answer because he was a good doctor). After years of trying to convince my uncle to stop smoking he finally said there was no more he could do to help my uncle with his health problems and the smoking would shorten his life. My uncle came home and threw away all his cigarettes and never smoked again (he was in his 70's - anyone who could survive a Siberian gulag for 5 years had to have strong will power). He also became a serious, in-your-face anti-smoker. He lived till he was 94 and died from a fall and pneumonia. He was really a tough old bird but was a great artist and could really be nice.

@JackPedigo Got a diagnosis, so I quit.

I agree plus smoker are sick and take more sick days

@SkotlandSkye You have way more money not having to pay for college and everything else. My childless friends take the best vacations. My ex and I never took maternity or paternity leave.

@Stephanie99 those were your choices though. You could have foregone having kids too.

@SkotlandSkye I am happy to have my children. Just enjoy that extra money.

. What a load of twaddle.Want to e to my studio and see how much is going on?

I remember those times too. I could never get over house unbelievably unfair that system was.

Frequent smoke breaks can also be called enabling an addiction. I remember when I was a kid back in the late 60's, it seemed more than half of all adults smoked. If you look at back issues of 1950's magazines, there are ads suggestign you give a carton of cigarettes as a Christmas gift. I am happy so few persons smoke anymore (in the U.S.), althou8gh ti woudl be better if nobody ever smoked (at least didn't smoke cigrettes).

@snytiger6 Smoking on airplanes. What an incredibly bad idea that was.

@BufftonBeotch I am grateful for nonsmoking hotel rooms, so I no longer have to sleep in a room that smells liek an ashtry.

Smoking has been around for 500 years..James I (VI of Scotland) didnt like smoking saying that it smelled. Coming from a guy who never washed more than dabbling his fingers in a bowl of water occasionally, that is ironic so say the least. The man stank and just through perfume on himself. Meanwhile as someone who has had to travel a lot, anti smoking has meant the cutting of jobs in hotels and meant that rooms are often now given just a cursory wipe rather than properly cleaned.

@artlochfergus I hope you've gotten that extra cleaning fee. You are not capable of smelling how much it stinks because you can't really smell anything anymore,
Stayed in a suite room once where people were sleeping in the next room (with the door in-between rooms.
They were smoking non-stop.
Had to shove a damp towel under the door crack but it was still coming through the sides and tops.
You have to go back 500 years to lack of indoor plumbing to find another person that "might" stink as much as a smoker.

weak very, very weak.

@BufftonBeotch been in any hotels lately?

@artlochfergus Don't even. Seriously just back the fuck off.

As a non (ex) smoker I was all for this idea. However, your post has given me another perspective to consider. I don't agree with the last line but I am certainly pleased to get another persons view. Food for thought for me. ?

@Biptu Your post is confusing and contradictory. Care to clarify?

Smoking is legal only under certain conditions and those are being increased all the time.

My argument for it isn't from the perspective of health - it's from the perspective of unsanctioned smoke breaks, where the non-smokers are actually at work and working. In fact, at one job, most of the department smoked while I didn't, so I started taking extra breaks when they went to smoke. I noticed I was essentially only working 45 min out of every hour - not including normal and lunch breaks.

@jondspen I agree with the abuse of the "smoke break". It's wrong and it shouldn't be permitted.
As a former smoker, I never took more breaks than I was legally entitled to.
Never.
I resented co-workers who did. So I can appreciate anyone who has issues with those who abuse their co-workers in that way, whether they smoke or not.

You go girl! Cold turkey or did you use the patch or something else?

@chucklesIII I used Chantix. If I could do it cold turkey I would have years ago. I would highly recommend Chantix for anyone having a very difficult time quitting.

@Wildflower From the few people I know who have used Chantix they said it made them sick to the stomach and nauseous quite often. As a person that suffers from diverticulitis, I've stayed away from it for that reason. Did you experience any unpleasant side effects?

@SLBushway I was fearful of the psychiatric side effects like depression and suicidal ideation. But I had no adverse side effects. I did have more vivid dreams but not nightmares. I wish I had taken it sooner. But glad to have quit. I feel great about it!

@Wildflower , I did it for a year, cold turkey. I will agree it was difficult. What helped the most was having that little booklet that comes with the nicotine patches. i tried the patch years before with no success. It listed all the withdrawals and just being able to look at the list while going through them was a big help.

@chucklesIII I could have never done it cold turkey. I know me. I never would have.

@Wildflower , one of the simplest things to keep in mind is that the smoking urges go away in about 5 minutes even without a cigarette. The first three days are the toughest.

I have a friend who quit with Chantix. He went 3 years with no smoking, started up again for 2 years and now he's quitting again for his fiance.

@chucklesIII I am actually an addictions counselor. I teach my clients all of that. But it's not one size fits all.

It's tough but hang in there. It really is well worth the effort. ?