A ? for smokers & non-smokers?

Question

HEY SMOKERS: Did you know that if you throw a cigarette butt out
your car window you can be fined? This is in Arkansas, I do not know about all the other states.
HEY NON-SMOKERS: I am a non-smoker. How many agree that
that they know it is hard for a smoker to quit? I have a suggestion
that might help the smokers since they are in the situation smoke
and be fired, or smoke & not eat, etc.
How about all of us non-smokers, give the smokers support to
quit. I think we should ask the companies to help their smokers
quit. I think the companies should do a sponsorship program. Have one or two non-smokers take a couple of smokers to a motel
or some other living quarters,with pay for each day, I believe this will help the smokers quit smoking. That would be no different than paying for them to go to a rehab to quit smoking, right? My husbands employer does this, they pay for rehab, for alcohol & drugs so why not cigs? I will start a petition to send to companies if enough agree.

Excuse me L*, sounds like you are a smoker who does not want to quit and that is your right but don't throw accusations at me about pushing my healthy issues on others. Yes, I am a non-smoker and my husband smokes. I THINK IT IS STUPID FOR IT TO BE FORBIDDEN TO SMOKE. It should be smokers own choice to quit, not the government and who are you to tell me not to help smokers quit???? I have nothing against SMOKERS, they are being forced to quit and at the same time here in Arkansas, we have alot of "dry counties" (in case you don't know what it means, you can't sell alcohol)! The companies are fighting that and have been granted to sell alcohol in their restaruants, which is crazy, outlaw cigs and allow alcohol. GFY!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

I agree with you. I am a smoker, and if my company offered to help me quit, I would take the help. There are so many people out there that pass judgment on smokers and try to force us to quit. I wish my husband had the same attitude that you do for trying to be helpful and not rude to assist others in quitting smoking. I know in Nevada there is a $1000 fine for throwing a cigarette butt out the window. I find that throwing anything out the window is gross and rude to others.

Thank you for being one of the very few people to try and really help smokers kick the habit and are nice about it.

Answer 2

I have witnessed people dumping car ash trays in parking lots or in the street too. I think every state should pass a law fining for anything you throw out of your car. Can you imagine how many fires are started from a cigarette thrown out a car window?

Smoking is more addictive than most drugs, except maybe crack. Smoking also kills others who don't smoke!! Employers help everone but the smokers and the smokers are allowed to put other people's lungs in danger too.

I totally agree with you.........I started smoking at 13 years old and I am now 60. I have COPD and other health problems. I have been using tons of drugs and I am on oxygen. My life is not real good. I have quit smoking a number of times. I still want a cigarette. The craving never goes away.

It is kind of ironic. My brother worked for a major tabacco company and retired early at 55 with full benefits the rest of his life. Same insurance coverage, collecting 60% of his pay plus a pension. He is on paper over a millionaire. He and his wife never smoked. I used the product that made him rich and I am living at poverty level and cannot afford insurance.

Answer 3

How about this... stop trying to push your 'healthy' agenda onto others. If a person wants to smoke, let them. It's the smoker's life, lungs, health ect. If you don't like cigarette smoke or can't stand to be around smokers, then leave and don't be around it. That's YOUR choice. Unless you come across a rude smoker who is stalking and blowing the foul carcengenic stench directly into your face then just let em be.

As for an employer including a 'stop smoking' program along with their drug/alcohol/mental health programs... I think that is a terrific idea, IF a smoker is having a problem with his/her addiction and WANTS help. Unfortunately the health care insurance companies don't realize the benefits of providing 'stop-smoking' program coverage with their policies so that pretty much limits an employer.

Answer 4

i agree with you and that's what i've been trying to do -- encourage my friends and my father (grr!! he wouldn't listen!) to stop smoking and educate them on it. apparently, they are still young and it does takes years to have a lung problem due to smoking (an irreversible lung problem -- cannot be cured)

i think their mentality is, if they don't feel anything right now -- "it is never too late to quit, so i might as well smoke now"

im surprised, you didn't get any negative responses here. when i posted a question about "should smoking and drinking be illegal?" boy -- people were cursing me, saying things like "how dare you blah...blah...blah..." they accuse me like im a racist or something. smokers are too defensive most of the time. (well most of them, not all). that's what addiction does to your body, you think that smoking is something that is very vital in life -- and you will really be upset when it's abolished. (because you have no more resources)

quitting is entirely up to them. the good news is more and more people are quitting. i am in the health care field, when people tell me "I can't quit smoking, it's too addicting, it's IMPOSSIBLE to quit smoking, i will suffer" i'd tell them "that's bullsh!t! there are people who have managed to quit drugs successfully, don't give me that crap about smoking being too "impossible" to quit, i KNOW what real suffering is, i've seen it."

also some smokers are the typical mind-your-own-business-smokers -- i'd say "fine" whatever, you don't want to quit? i won't force you, otherwise, if people stopped smoking, they will put people like me out of job. there is a prediction though, that the number for the demand for respiratory therapist will increase astonishingly by 2008. so im just here waiting for them.

Answer 5

Smoking is an addiction and I see no reason why companies
shouldn't treat it like other addictions such as alcoholism.

I can't say that I know first hand how hard it is to quit as I have
never smoked to begin with. I do know that I made my mother's
life a living hell trying to get her to, and she only quit after
I was no longer home.

Different companies will have different levels of support for their
substance abusing employees. I think they should be consistant.

Answer 6

The companies have already chipped in for rehab for smokers by court mandate - the money was given to each state for that purpose. If your state isn't using those funds for that purpose, you need to contact your state legislators and ask why not.

Answer 7

Your suggestion sounds good.

Answer 8

not in my state...they start fining ppl when we start having draught conditions