Why are "smokers" getting a bad rap?

I used to smoke and I didn't mind going outside to smoke on my break. It gave me a chance to develop some smoker friends that did not work in my department. So overall it was a socializing experience for me. I don't believe that a company can be allowed to refuse to hire someone who smokes.

As a Smoker you have the right, to do as you please, smoke all day every day, get cancer and die from it, if that's what you want. But you DO NOT have the right to mess up everyone else's air and give them cancer or any other smoking related disease.

i'm sorry but i might be one of the people who do not like smokers... i just can't stand the smell of it and it can make me cough very badly if i smell the smoke... but that doesn't mean that i discriminate them... i still be friend with them... it's just that when they smoke, i stay away from them...

I do agree with you. It is ok they want us separated. We do have a couple factories here, Scott's Fertilizer is one, that gave everyone a date that they had to quit smoking by. If they did not they would no longer have a job. They have no right telling what you can do after you get off work. It is not illegal and that is going too far.

I would love to know why people seem to think it's okay to bash someone for something that is a choice they made, but is something that is so hard to quit. And people comparing smoking to being overweight. I am both. Yes I made the choice to start smoking, but I've been in the battle to quit for almost as long as I've been smoking. When I stop smoking my weight goes up. I know smoking is not good for you, just as being overweight is not good for you. I don't understand why nonsmokers think they have the right to belittle people based on an addiction. Why don't we bash people with substance abuse issues while we are at it. There were alot of good points raised in this discussion, and I respect other people's points of view. What I can't stand is people that think it's okay to put someone down for choices they make in their own lives.

I'm an ex-smoker as well. I think it's a little extreme to ban smoking on the property all together! It's also not a smart tactic because its only going to cause a longer "break" time for the employee to walk off the property because thats exactly what I would have done put in that situation. The only reason I can think of that a company would not want to hire a smoker is because they take ALOT more "breaks" then a non-smokers.

Hello ! Me personnaly I smoke and I agree with you ! :)

i think it's ok to smoke everywhere, as long you keep the smoke for yourself you can use a big polybag to collect your smoke (you must blow your smoke into that polybag).. :D

Because yall all bout to die so we pick at yall and laugh cause by tommorow you'll have cancer. To be serious, I'm not sure. It's just pretty lame. Just as lame as over eaters.

because smokers suck

Here in New Zealand it's only been a year or so since companies, businesses, restaurants, etc. had to provide separate smoking areas for customers. Even at workplaces smokers are segregated. All for the better, I say. It's been the non-smokers who have been discriminated against for years. How many times have you (the non-smoker) been in company and a smoker has "lit up" and blown smoke in your face inconsiderately? Or, you've gone out for a nice relaxing meal and you end up taking in passive smoke from the next table? Complaints usually fell on deaf ears as I recall. One of the problems at my workplace is that smokers frequently nip outside for a smoke. This is very unproductive - you don't see the non-smokers frequently nipping outside to waste time. Although you can't refuse to hire someone who smokes, I would prefer working with someone more reliable on the job. A solution, though, would be to ban smoking on site. These are just a few of my thoughts on the matter. Bob

I think some places should be labeled as smoking and others non smoking. I really do believe in people's right to make their own choices. Second hand smoke DOES mess with other people though. Also, keep in mind 1/3 of people who smoke die from it.