Smokers at Work - The Friday Rant

This one is dedicated to my sister in manufacturing. What makes smokers think that their assumed right to desecrate their bodies and pollute the air is so sacrosanct that they don't have to care about others? Not every company has cracked down on the random smoke breaks, so some of us are still dealing with the smoker that is 2/3 as productive most days and 1/2 as productive when stressed. These folks need their security blanket/oral fixation satisfied often enough that they should be worried about their mental condition even more than lung cancer. There's more. What about the slack we get to pick up when their illness prone bodies pick up yet another cold or flu. Better yet, how about the times that they show up to work this way and share it with everyone else, because they burned their time off. We all just love presenteeism driven by someone else's habits. Now back to the pollution angle. Even if you don't smoke inside the building, you smell. You either reek of stale smoke or have decided to chemically poison everyone with your lastest cologne/airfreshener. The truth is, I work with some smokers that are awesome at their job, don't let it interfere with work hours, and that I truly respect. They still smell funny and I worry about them, which is also distracting. Even the best smokers still contribute to the increase in healthcare costs for everyone at their company. Don't even try to tell me the Healthcare Reform will change this, that is a rant for another day! Come on people, do us all a favor and at least get your smoking back to the legitimate times allowed for everyone to take a break, keep the scents under control, and take care of your health. The rest of us need a break from your habit. By the way, if you are non-smoker complaining because they actually take their allowed breaks, get a clue and take yours. Burn out is probably making you as ineffective as some of the smokers.