To think smokers are thoughtless at work

[RooksAndRavens]

There are several smokers in my workplace (school) and some of them I work directly with. During this morning's meeting, the smokers popped in and out several times over the course of 2 hours or so. Everytime they came back in, the smell of cigarette smoke was quite strong and even though two of the ladies tried to cover it up with perfume spray, they did this in the same room. The smell of that was also strong as the spray floated everywhere, even near drinks.

AIBU to think they're being a bit thoughtless to the rest of us? We were in a planning meeting after all.

This doesn’t bother me at all

I don't mind the smell of smoke but I can't tolerate strong perfume.

It's such an anti social habit, I agree it's selfish to impose the (horrible) smell on others. Smokers can't smell it as strongly.

I've got a colleague who disappears for 5/10 mins, only to reappear with a 'sorry, bathroom break!' -- but you can distinctly smell the fag she's just finished, mixed with perfume that doesn't actually cover it up.

It doesn't bother me.

Yeh, that actually bothered me more than the smoke smell. Also because it went all over near where our drinks were.

It really bothers me too. They have no idea how bad it is for non smokers. The (lovely) neighbours who live in the flat below me started smoking a couple of years back, I'm actually considering moving as the smell in my kitchen is unbearable. Obviously can't ask them not to!

I am talking about a meeting at work. Fine if it's a social thing but shouldn't work be a little bit different?

I’ve never worked with anyone that would leave a 2 hour meeting several times. Smokers having fag breaks generally doesn’t bother me but the perfume would.

Yeah it’s fucking grim and nasty - eurgh.
I also don’t get why people still smoke outside at hospitals even though they’re smoke free zones - always at the entrance especially nr labour ward (why would you want to bring a baby out for their first breath of fresh air is secondhand fag smoke).
I would be more than happy if smoking was banned completely in public including in the street.
We also know much more about third hand smoke now.

I live what NZ are doing - the age for smoking will rise by 1 year each year so the current cohort of kids will never be old enough to smoke.

If we’re not going to do this we should legalise cannabis.

Honestly I'd be more bothered at popping out several times in a 2 hr meeting. That is so disruptive and disrespectful to the time of everyone else in the meeting. I'd expect a 2 hr meeting to either run without a break or with one 5 min comfort break in the middle.

Whilst the smoke smell is annoying, the perfume would be a far bigger issue for me and would make me cough to the point I'd have to seriously consider leaving the room.

I hate it when people try and cover the smell with perfume 🤢 makes it so much worse and isn't hiding anything. I don't see why they couldn't have got through a 2 hour work meeting without needing to leave either.

I hate the smell of smoke, but more than that I hate the sense of entitlement some smokers have. Why are they needing cigarette breaks in a 2 hour meeting? No doubt you have to pause the meeting, or recap when they return.
I remember working in a restaurant where the smokers got breaks every hour, whilst the non smokers didn't. There was just me and another girl who didn't smoke, and we had to battle hard to get breaks ourselves, and even then we weren't allowed them as often.

It's a revolting smell.

If smokers care so little about their health to smoke its not likely that they are going to care about you smelling it on them either.

🙄

I know it’s uncool to complain about smokers… but it’s so annoying when they want the office heating up to a million degrees, just because they spend half the day outside in the freezing cold.

What annoys me more is the popping out. I work in a school. Some of the non-classroom based staff pop out 3 or 4 times a day for a 10-15 minute smoke or vape. The rest of us don't get an hour's paid break during the working day.

Doesn't bother me. Smoking is legal therefore they can smoke? I would much rather smell smoke than bad breath or body odour 😂

I'm a smoker though not a heavy one and have never felt the need to smoke during the day so never have at work.
It's not the smell I mind, it's the fact that most of them through the day will have 5/10 fags / vapes meaning non smokers are picking up calls and work while they are out puffing as well as having lunch and bathroom breaks!

I find the smell of fags truly revolting. Even walking past someone in the street makes me react (silently). I’ve got a really strong stomach, constitution for pretty much anything else but cigarettes reek. My best friend smokes and her breath is awful. I could never tell her though.

I don't have breaks at work but if I worked somewhere like an office where smokers were allowed regular fag breaks, I'd take a book to work with me and have the same number of breaks just sitting and reading for 15 minutes. I wonder how that would go down! Maybe you should do that OP. Next time there's a meeting, after about half an hour just get a book or magazine out and start reading. Say "don't mind me, I'll rejoin the meeting when I've finished this chapter"!

When I used to smoke we'd spend that time outside talking about work and thinking about strategies to improve what we were doing. It's generally an assumption that smokers are out there doing nothing, apart from smoking, but it's often very far from the truth.

The smell not so much as people having strong perfume bad bo or bad breath is more offensive.
although smokers that think that others can’t smell smoke they are wrong no matter how much you cover it up .
the popping out for breaks during a meeting would annoy me more .

The thing I find most selfish is hanging around the entrances to buildings and inflicting secondhand smoke on every adult and child that passes through.

And don't even get me started on vapes and their toxic perfumes!