Ok folks, who are our smokers and who are our non smokers?

[Geenh]

Two weeks and two days.....

Getting better.

 

[Motokid]

Two weeks and two days.....

Getting better.

Go Geenh..go Geenh..go geenh...just think about this...every day you go without the cancer stick is another day your kisses are all the more sweeter.

 

[mehastings]

I'm sure that if I did have a DUI charge against me that wouldn't affect my chances of getting a job, but drug charges would definitely hinder my application, and rightly so.

You'd be surprised. I had a student who the state of Massachusetts wouldn't even certify as an EMT because he had a misdemeanor DUI that was less than five years old. If you harm someone else it can be considered a felony, which is pretty bad.

 

[Sergo]

I have never taken drugs.
I tried smoking... let me see... at 7, but didn't like that, so smoked maybe 5 or 8 cigarets more during the following 20 or 25 years - just to keep company to some girls. I do not remember the last time I smoked...
I do not know what is so good about that habit, aside from it is a habit, and one keeps doing habitual things...
By the way, I forgot when I was drunk the last time. We drink almost every weekends, but mostly a glass or two of some French, South African, New Zealand, Australian, South American, Israelian wines. Sometimes people ask me how do I manage to release pressure without drinking... I do not strain myself, so I do not have to release pressure...

 

[StillILearn]

Two weeks and two days.....

Getting better.

You've already done the hard part, Geenh. By now it's more of an urge than a craving and more of an ache than an actual pain?

Yes?

 

[abecedarian]

I can't imagine..maybe it's like being told not to think of elephants..

Keep up the good work, fight the good fight!

 

[~BookWorm~]

<Non-Smoker>

 

[leckert]

True, very true. But the idea that what you do on your own time is a legitimate reason to fire somebody from a job, is stretching the limits of common sense.

Would it be ok to fire somebody from their job if the company found out that person got arrested for shoplifting, or cheated on their income tax? Can a company legally fire a person for getting a DUI when that person is driving on their own time? Especially if the job they do is one that does not require actually driving?

Moto, you are an enigma!

I think if private business owners wants to insist on employees having the highest personal character, they should be able to do so.

If I am not able to abide by the law, either during work, or on my own time, my employer should be able to terminate me for that. And if that employer wants ways to identify those who aren't, they should be able to. They should be able to do a criminal background check, or drug test, whenever they want.

RobertF... I think you are taking the whole drug testing thing too personally. An employer who has random drug tests is saying "I don't want drug users working for me". That is a completely legitimate thing to want. The employer, BY LAW, cannot test some employees without subjecting ALL employees to the same random tests. So including you in the testing doesn't mean the employer doesn't trust you, it means he is being fair and lawful. There are certainly those whom the employer DOESN'T trust, but the only way to legally find them out is to test EVERYONE.

I would think that a non-user would be glad to know that he and his coworkers are being tested, and that everyone who works there is drug free.

I have a security clearance. Anything questionable that I do on my time could result in losing my clearance, which would lead to the loss of not just my job, but my career path!

So, needless to say, I keep my nose clean.

Except for the cigs.

 

[Motokid]

Moto, you are an enigma!

Just trying to keep the conversation movin' along....they can test me all they want..the only thing they'll find in me is caffiene....and I'm tryin' to cut way back on that too....none since Sunday....

 

[abecedarian]

So, needless to say, I keep my nose clean.

Except for the cigs.


Leckert: I was fine with your post until I got to the end...too many Amelia Bedilia books..
Excuse me, I have to go think of something besides Leckert's smoking nose...ew......

 

[RobertFKennedy]

Moto, you are an enigma!

I think if private business owners wants to insist on employees having the highest personal character, they should be able to do so.

If I am not able to abide by the law, either during work, or on my own time, my employer should be able to terminate me for that. And if that employer wants ways to identify those who aren't, they should be able to. They should be able to do a criminal background check, or drug test, whenever they want.

RobertF... I think you are taking the whole drug testing thing too personally. An employer who has random drug tests is saying "I don't want drug users working for me". That is a completely legitimate thing to want. The employer, BY LAW, cannot test some employees without subjecting ALL employees to the same random tests. So including you in the testing doesn't mean the employer doesn't trust you, it means he is being fair and lawful. There are certainly those whom the employer DOESN'T trust, but the only way to legally find them out is to test EVERYONE.

I would think that a non-user would be glad to know that he and his coworkers are being tested, and that everyone who works there is drug free.

I have a security clearance. Anything questionable that I do on my time could result in losing my clearance, which would lead to the loss of not just my job, but my career path!

So, needless to say, I keep my nose clean.

Except for the cigs.

My word should be enough for my employer. If I have have never given them a reason to question my integrity or to suspect that I have taken drugs then they should not call me a liar.

I think that if someone shows signs of being under the influence of drink or drugs in the working environment then testing could be introduced as a condition of keeping your job as part of the disciplinary process.

What someone does in their own spare time is no business of an employer. We don't get paid for our spare time. Luckily here in the UK there are relatively few jobs which have mandatory drug testing. Although I've never taken drugs, I will not be called a liar by the imposition of mandatory drug tests and I will not have an employer prying into my body or my personal life away from work with any kind of tests.

On principal I would refuse to work for any such organisation which does not respect the civil rights of its workers and seeks to marginalise them with control freakery.

 

[abecedarian]

My word should be enough for my employer. If I have have never given them a reason to question my integrity or to suspect that I have taken drugs then they should not call me a liar.

I think that if someone shows signs of being under the influence of drink or drugs in the working environment then testing could be introduced as a condition of keeping your job as part of the disciplinary process.

What someone does in their own spare time is no business of an employer. We don't get paid for our spare time. Luckily here in the UK there are relatively few jobs which have mandatory drug testing. Although I've never taken drugs, I will not be called a liar by the imposition of mandatory drug tests and I will not have an employer prying into my body or my personal life away from work with any kind of tests.

On principal I would refuse to work for any such organisation which does not respect the civil rights of its workers and seeks to marginalise them with control freakery.

My husband works for a chemical company, and their old policy was similar to what you're talking about. The company would wait until an employee gave obvious signs of being debilitated at work before they'd order a random drug test. However, this led to employees using the union to sue to get their jobs back..The reason? Descrimination. Obviously "they" had it in for this employee, and were waiting for them to do something.. so they adopted random drug testing. They still select suspecious employees, but now they have the guise of fairness by bothering everyone. It isn't "right" but we have his strange addiction to regular meals and a roof over our heads. So we deal with it. What this means is, if my dh gets a headache, or his allergies flair up, he won't take one of my allegra d pills or anything he does not have an up to date perscrption for. If over the counter meds do not help, he has to get to a doctor-the only day during the week is Friday- or suffer.

 

[Geenh]

Thanks for the words of support! I'm still not smoking.

It's more a psychological thing. All my pub friends (Wednesday night is BEER o'clock) smoke. They feel guilty when I am with them. Maybe they'll smoke.

Two weeks three days...

 

[StillILearn]

On principal I would refuse to work for any such organisation which does not respect the civil rights of its workers and seeks to marginalise them with control freakery.

I'm with you RFK. And I'm not using anything illegal either, at present.

 

[StillILearn]

Thanks for the words of support! I'm still not smoking.

It's more a psychological thing. All my pub friends (Wednesday night is BEER o'clock) smoke. They feel guilty when I am with them. Maybe they'll smoke.

Two weeks three days...

Some of them may subconsciously want you to go back to smoking with them, Geenh. Be strong! You don't want to have to start quitting all over again.

 

[muggle]

I have smoked for more years than probably anyone on this board. I had a heart attack due to clogged arteries and I continued to smoke after having angioplasy, only I then hid my smoking. I finally kicked the addiction and have been tobacco free for 10 years. I still crave a cigarette and would enjoy one tremendously, but I will not give in to the habit. The longer you smoke the harder it is to stop. My 2 cents, don't start and if you do smoke then stop as soon as possible.

During my childhood we did not know the effects of smoking, only that it would stunt your growth . Today, there is no excuse and everyone that can read should know the long term health risks. I do not mean to offend anyone but please.....stop.....for you own health.

 

[StillILearn]

During my childhood we did not know the effects of smoking, only that it would stunt your growth . Today, there is no excuse and everyone that can read should know the long term health risks. I do not mean to offend anyone but please.....stop.....for you own health.

Too true, muggle. We've been harping on lung cancer and bad breath, all the while forgetting that there are so many other diseases caused by cigarette smoke --- strokes being only one of them.

Thanks for your words of wisdom.

 

[Miss Shelf]

I smoke. My parents smoked, my younger brother and I smoked and my older brother and sister never did. My brother gave it up when he had his first child, and I quit once for about three years and took it up again when I had a bad patch in my life. I'll quit when I feel like quitting.

 

[ruby]

For anyone who has tryed giving up smoking!

Has anybody read

Allen Carr-Packing It In The Easy Way?

I want to know does this work?

 

[Miss Shelf]

When I quit, I bought a package of stop-smoking patches but after reading the box and being turned off by the possible side effects I decided to go cold turkey. It's tough, but I guess I have a lot of willpower. It's best to discontinue habits that you associate with smoking or find substitutes. I kept hard candies to keep my mouth busy. I took up knitting to keep my hands busy-I'm an atrocious knitter but at least muy hands were busy. It gets better eventually.

My doctor, when I told her I was quitting, asked me if cigarettes were the first thing I thought of when I woke up, and I said no, they're about #4. She said that I would have an easier time quitting then. Maybe that's why quitting, while hard, wasn't agony for me.