Do "smoking breaks" anger you?

I am a smoker. The job I do right now, I'm outside a lot so it's easier for me to grab a but if I need one. My last job however we had 2 breaks period, wheter you smoked or not. I have never heard of a work place giving extra breaks to smokers. I fee you are eronious in your statement that nonsmokers are discriminated against. It is quite the opposite. Smokers by far are more discriminated against. there are fewer and fewer places we are allowed to light up. Some states are now trying to tell us we cant smoke in our own cars or homes. what I do in those places is my business. What angers me, miss, is the arrogence of some nonsmokers.

I'm a non-smoker and all of my co-workers are non-smokers, too, so it doesn't affect me directly, but I see people in other departments taking up to five breaks per day, well beyond the allowed two, and no one seems to say anything. I suppose it's how slealthy you are about it, but I can see how it would be annoying.

Me and my coworkers do not smoke so we do not have to worry about this situation. When I am in my bowling league, many of the people do smoke and they are constantly going in and out of the alley to smoke. It is very disturbing to me and my team and can really disrupt someones bowling game when we have to wait for them to come back from their smoke break. I think it is unfair that smokers take extra breaks to smoke while nonsmokers only get a couple breaks.

All I have to say is that those nonsmokers who feel as tho they are holier than thou can do one of two things--take a coffee break and quit crying OR be forced to work with all the smokers who have been denied their smoke breaks for an entire shift. I think that will make you grateful for smoke breaks.

You could always go outside with the smokers and take a break. The chances of the second hand smoke making you ill are alot slimmer than people would have you believe especially since you would be outside.

i seriously hate smokerSS!!!!.. i just don't understand why they have to smoke infront of non smokers.. is it fun? i don't know...what is smoke break? they get a break cause they need to smoke? what on earth lol.. how bout non smokers? they don't have a break? that is like total discrimination isn't it? =_=

I agree that when people take smoke breaks outside the regular break times, they are simply wasting time. Non smokers would be punished or at least SPOKEN TO about taking random breaks because they wouldn't be doing anything. Wait...let's take a fart break...that way we will be doing something!

Mostly it doesnt but when I am working with people or someone whom I am interacting with and they keep going for a break it does bother a little because it breaks either my conversation or the flow of conversation or it breaks the flow of my work. I am a non smoker as well.

You know, that really does burn me up too. I take students to the hospital to learn to become nurses. The nurses who smoke get smoke breaks. I wonder why those of us who love to eat sweets and feel as though we are addicted to sweets don't get 'Little Debbie' breaks so that we may go and take down a quick sugar fix...oatmeal cake, Swiss Roll cake, Zebra stripe cake....whatever our heart desires! I think I'll organize a strike centered around the use of breaks!

I KNOW what you mean! I used to work and I had a friend joke he wanted to take up smoking so he could take lots of breaks. Its true. They get to take breaks to feed their habbits. Its a gross habbit and I'm sorry for anyone who began. Ick. :((

You are missing the point i do not smoke and never have so when my fellow workers call a smoke break i will wait far a while then call on myself and have been questioned on it several time and have informed my employer that if they are allowed to step away from the job for a smoke outside then i am intitled to do the same so long as i use the same amout of time i usually go out side for 3-4 mins then return to my job. I have told them it is a form a discrimination not to allow me the right and privliges as a smoker. So far so good.

i have worked for companies that if you want a break you take it at the time allowed no one is specail. i have worked at places to where you could smoke at your desk. i have worked at places where if you needed a smoke you just go and do it as long as someone will cover you. when i worked at that place i think there was only like 3 of us that smoked and about 12 that didnt. i would ask if they minded watching my area so i could smoke they would do it and not complain. at the same time though i would ask them hey you want to just go to the bathroom or step outside for a break i will watch for you. 9 times out of 10 they would say no. taht there was no point in just standing outside. lol. i have worked lots of places the boss smoked so tehy would always ask hey you want to take a break so i could smoke with them. alot of times people that didnt smoke would ask hey mind if i come and just get air the boss didnt mind. instead of complaining why dont you do just that and go out for fresh air breaks. if they can take smoke breaks then take air breaks. i would. i mean people i have worked with in many places do. you cant say you are discriminated against till you try and take a fresh air break. the thing is most non smokers dont ask so therefore they dont get.

I see that at work all the time as well and it does seem a bit unfair. I think they are really stretching the no smoking inside rules to fit their own purposes. If that is that case, then other non-smokers should be allowed fresh air breaks of equal time.

There should be no 'smoking breaks'. They should smoke in breaks given to all the workers. If they need breaks then it should be punched. They should not mind cut in salary for their favourite smoke.

well not really...since im not a smoker then im not then entitled of it lol..like you too! here in our place smokers have specific places to smoke like their home or anywhere that is private and cant affect anybody's who are none smoker..its not allowed in working places and public offices / place as well..

Yes this makes be very mad. I am also a nonsmoker and I have to stay and work while my boss and coworkers go outside to smoke all the time. My boss is outside smoking all the time and getting paid for smoking.I wish there was something that could be done about this, it's not fair to the rest of us that dont smoke.

I work in the accounting office of a public company. None of us smoke- so there are no smoking breaks! However if we did I'm sure we could pop outside for a quick smoke. There are smokers in other departments of the office- I have called for their help a few times to be told they were smoking- I call this unnecesary! Smoke on your breaks or your lunch break- In accounting when we call we usually need the info ASAP- I have had to go to the picnic table area outside to get someone from the IT department several times from one of these breaks- It's just wrong. I can't imagine saying Oh I'm sorry I missed that gov't deadline because I was smoking- : )

I also am i non smoker, but when i worked i used to smoke. But here in canada we have rules about this kind of thing. For an 8 hour day, you get two 15 minute breaks, and a half an hour lunch which you punch out for. no matter where you were you are allowed to take those breaks. but i guess if your employer is lax you could take more then that if your a smoker.. But i agree with you, that they shouldnt be allowed to do less work, or spend less time inside, (especially in thte sumer when its nice out!! LET THEM FREEZE OUTSIDE IN THE WINter!! LOL. i always laugh at my hubby when he comes inside in the winter from smoking complaining its cold) then anyone else!! that's just not fair. There are some places in canada now that you are not allowed to even smoke in public, i dont know how they are enforcing that rule, but i know on the east coast your not allowed to smoke in public. anywhere other people could smell, or see you smoke your not allowed. AWESOME Eh ? It's so bad for people and the people around them, i think we should all quit!! sorry smokers, but its true adn you all know it :P

Yeah if you asked for just a break they probably won't give it to you but if you told that you need to have a smoke they'd probably give it to you. that's pretty unfair to nonsmokers. People can smoke how much and where ever they want until they don't disturb me. For example when I'm an at a bus stop waiting for a bus and some damn smoker comes sits next to me and starts smoking I'm just so pissed off. Not only that passive smoking is bad for your health it's very annoying when someone does that.

I have one experience that was frustrating. I worked with a guy that smoked and would walk outside once an hour or so to smoke. The owner of the company never said a word to him. After a while, every time he would go out to smoke, I would just stand around and do nothing for the entire duration of his smoke break. When he came back I would get back to work. The owner eventually saw me just standing around and I sorta got in trouble until I explained to him what was going on. The owner told my co-worker that under California law he was allowed two 10 minute breaks per 8 hour shift (or something to that extent). Any other time that he wanted to smoke he would have to clock out in order to go take a smoke break.