should smokers get time off from work to help them give up

[zippitippitoes]

...guidelines suggest they should

apparently smokers take 8 more days off each year because they smoke

time off would be to attend clinics to stop smokinghere

But Skribble, if your colleague wasn't allowed a smoking break they'd be pretty unproductive wouldn't they?

One of my first cousins - I have 14 - started smoking in the Army because the sargeant would stop every now and again and say, 'Smokers, ciggy break, everyone else, detail.'

And he decided he'd rather smoke than work .

If you couldn't get caffenine Twinkle would you be unproductive or would you just get on with it?

Paula - I was just making the point that if I am allowed to get a caffeine fix why shouldn't a smoker get a cigarette fix. Last time I looked smoking was legal and it's a free country.

And when we're talking about people trying to give up smoking, obviously there's no comparison with caffeine because the withdrawal symptoms are so severe. A workplace can't just ban smoking at all, even in people's own time, and then refuse to help them to give up. That's plain unreasonable IMO.

The problem is smoke breaks aren't in their own time, they seem to think it is OK to pop out all the time for a quick fag.

Sorry but how productive can a smoker be when they are outside the premises smoking, at least a caffine fix can be taken at a desk and doesn't affect anyone else or make you and the entire workplace smell.

Fair enough to go out for a ciggarette on your lunch or proper tea break, but what I am objecting to is smokers getting extra time away from their duties to stand outside and smoke.

I thought these group meetings were held in the evening?

I think everyone should work the equivalent of a four and a half day week and if you do something damaging to your health you should be made to go to a 'group' during your leisure time

I think all of us do something that is damaging to our health so that would be all of us in groups

Skribble - my problem with my work's policy is that they are banning smokers from taking a break, in their own time, to have a cigarette off campus. That is unreasonable IMO.

I think if it genuninely helps then yeah.

BUT if they take the time off then after 6 months they've failed to stop smoking they should be made to do the time they took off, doubled for no extra pay, and they should be made to kiss the bare feet of every non smoker in the office.

Don't you mean trim the toenails of the office with their teeth, Spidermama?????

That might go some way to helping with the oral fixation whereby smokers need to have something in their mouths, yes.