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Over the years, I've found smokers to be remarkably self-centered people.
They will smoke in restaurants, cars, offices, airplanes... anywhere it is not banned, without a thought for the affect it has on others who have to breath the same air.
I've noticed that they never hold or place their burning cigarettes where the smoke drifts into their own eyes. But are fine with putting their lit cigarettes where the smoke goes right into the eyes of others. They will even move ashtrays over if the direction of the smoke changes without even bothering to notice whose eyes it is drifting into now.
Smokers drop their cigarette butts everywhere, I mean everywhere. I've seen smokers drop their butts to the ground, do that little twist with the foot, then walk on. Sidewalks, inside banks, shopping malls.... you name it. For years, our family picked up cigarette butts when we camped. We never ever, not once, camped at a campground that did not have cigarette butts scattered on the ground.
IMO, those who do not care how their behavior affects others are a poor fit for the helping professions.
Not to mention the stench on their breath, skin, hair, and clothing. And no amount of mouthwash or perfume is going to get rid of it. I almost puke when a smoker is speaking to me and you can smell that rotten breath --- smells like they licked a full ashtray! The smell on their body, hair and clothing is just as bad.
If I was sick and in the hospital or had a family member there, I certainly wouldn't want a smoker around them.
Oh, and I smoked for 25 years until I quit cold-turkey 13 years ago. And I hated the smell back then, too!
I find the antismoking crowd to be belligerent. Unfortunately, they have a loud voice and are, usually, the worst hypocrites when it comes to their own behaviors. I do hope the antismoking crowd find another group of people to marginalize and discriminate against. With that I will go outside and pollute my lungs.
I don't know if the large hospital monopoly in my area hires smokers....but they certainly seem to have banned native English speakers, from the doctors on down.
I can't remember the last time I had an encounter where there wasn't at least somewhat of a language barrier.
Not to mention the stench on their breath, skin, hair, and clothing. And no amount of mouthwash or perfume is going to get rid of it. I almost puke when a smoker is speaking to me and you can smell that rotten breath --- smells like they licked a full ashtray! The smell on their body, hair and clothing is just as bad.
If I was sick and in the hospital or had a family member there, I certainly wouldn't want a smoker around them.
Oh, and I smoked for 25 years until I quit cold-turkey 13 years ago. And I hated the smell back then, too!
..and ex smokers are the worst. Your choice not to smoke just as it's my choice to smoke.
It's discriminatory in my view to be excluding potential employees on the basis that they are smokers, just as it is would be unacceptable for a potential employee to be knocked back for being obese. Their choices are not exactly shining examples of a healthy lifestyle but what they do outside of work, and that is within the law should be their own business. It's not as if smokers have a monopoly on unhealthy practices, and I think we've lost a bit of perspective in concentrating on this one issue.
It's discriminatory in my view to be excluding potential employees on the basis that they are smokers, just as it is would be unacceptable for a potential employee to be knocked back for being obese. Their choices are not exactly shining examples of a healthy lifestyle but what they do outside of work, and that is within the law should be their own business. It's not as if smokers have a monopoly on unhealthy practices, and I think we've lost a bit of perspective in concentrating on this one issue.
As long as it is not against a protected class, and for a reason that they are a member of a protected class, discrimination is perfectly legal. It's that "within the law" thing that you mentioned in your post.
Heh. I wonder about that also now that it is considered medicine in some states.
What about mood-altering drugs and alcohol? Our nurses and doctors are among the professions with the highest problematic mood-altering chemical use. Someone who smokes too many cigarettes the night before caring for a patient isn't apt to make the kind of life-threatening mistakes that someone who has tied one on the night before might make.
Then there's all that access to using patients' medications.
True story: some years ago in my town our best-respected neurosurgeon needed a few shots first thing before performing surgery or his hands would shake too violently to be able to do his job. We used to joke, "I hope he's a little drunk this morning." Grim.
Smokers first, obese are next. I wouldn't be surprised if they go after people with a BMI of over 30 next.
Nope, another person's obesity doesn't affect my health. Your second-hand smoke does.
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