[SheLion]

Some employees said, but it's my car. The company told them that they were on private property. "A couple of people did get caught," Johnson said...

Now, all of a sudden, it becomes PRIVATE PROPERTY.  Business owners who own a restaurant, this is PUBLIC? I don't think so!

make sure smokers are not allowed to take breaks.

Let me repeat this: MAKE SURE SMOKERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE BREAKS.

tobacco companies make annual payments to states.

I repeat: the tobacco companies do NOT pay the states.  The SMOKERS who pay TAXES on cigarettes are paying that money into the states!  The SMOKERS! Not big Tobacco and surely, not the state governments.  THE SMOKERS!

[SheLion]

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[JennysCool]

Of course, this isn't really about smoking. It's about control.

[CSM]

If only the smokers would be more polite and try to reach a middle ground. If only they would compromise with the non smokers. (Sarcastic gnatzie tone)

[Sweet Land]

CHER SILVIA wishes people would stop minding her behavior. [...] "They're nannies," she said. "They've got to tell us what's best for us.

Welcome to America.

[Hodar]

Once in the new building, the company also banned the informal practice of smoking breaks.

Put things in pespective. Non-smokers get a single 15 minute break midway between 8am and noon, and a second 15 minute break midway between 1pm and 5.

Smokers, as I have seen, take a 'smoke break' whenever the mood strikes. It is not fair that smokers get to take multiple breaks, and non-smokers must follow the rules.

Now, if smokers get the SAME treatment as non-smokers; then the only difference remains the addictive and health issues. That is a separate arguement.

[ET(end tyranny)]

Let me repeat this: MAKE SURE SMOKERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE BREAKS.

I've read your posts in the past and found them generally to be fair and well sourced. However, this time, I think you are focusing on the wrong part.

In my opinion, smokers do not deserve EXTRA breaks that non smoker's wouldn't get. The article says that smokers would have to wait until lunch break to have their smoke. I don't know if the company offered their employees other breaks or not throughout the day, but all employees should get the same amount of break times.

Once in the new building, the company also banned the informal practice of smoking breaks.

"The rest of the people were saying, 'How come smokers get a break and go outside and we don't?' " Johnson said.

"We said, 'You're absolutely right. That's not fair, because we're rewarding bad behavior.' That's when we said to supervisors, you've got to stay on top of it and make sure smokers are not allowed to take breaks."

MOST OF THE NEW hires come with the understanding that they will have to go until lunchtime without a cigarette. Johnson said Beacon is doing its employees a favor.

The only thing wrong with the above is that the supervisors should have been told to make sure smokers didn't take SMOKE breaks. But, I think people understand what was meant.

[tdadams]

I am completely opposed to government imposed smoking bans. However, when private companies, such as Lowe's and Hasbro, want to ban smoking on their premises, I completely support them.

It is their company, their property. No one is entitled to a job with those companies. If a person can't abide by the rules set up by the company for workplace conduct, they need to find employment elsewhere.

I don't blame companies one bit for doing whatever they can to discourage smoking. The company pays the insurance bills. They are losing productivity when people go out to smoke. It's a matter of economics.

And it's true what the article says, it's not fair to non-smokers that smokers can go out for a break every hour or so. If a non-smoker goes outside and just lingers around socializing, they'd get reprimanded for it.

[dirtboy]

Now, all of a sudden, it becomes PRIVATE PROPERTY.

Uh, it is private property, it's owned by someone other than the government.

These stores have every right to do this. And you and I have every right to not work there, not shop there and/or encourage others to boycott the stores in question because of this policy.

[Mr. Bird]

I'm a smoker, and all for private businesses determining what activities are allowed at the workplace. This also means I don't think the government should have any authority to regulate any legal activities in the private workplace.

[badbass]

I guess I'll either never shop there again, or make sure that I stand outside their front door and smoke before I go in. Good Lord, I hate control freaks!

[Wolfie]

Nicotine Cleanse

[Kirkwood]

Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs known. Maybe #1. Most smokers actually want to quit, but simply cannot. You need to show some compassion if you want them to quit. Harrassing them won't help.

[VRWC_minion]

Soon restaurant owners will forbid employee smoking also.

[BSunday]

Coming soon - no reading, especially not poetry or anything that can cause emotions. The penalty will be quite severe:

[swarthyguy]

Smokers can now be the butt of any derogatory comments and restrictions.

It's apartheid but quite OK for the American Talib.

We are the new niggerspicswopsdagosragheadsdotheadschinksmicks of the world.

[Cultural Jihad]

Your liberal use of Nazi imagery only serves to self-marginalize your message. Was that your intent?

[Lorianne]

Exactly right. Employers should have the right to set smoking rules on their own property. That includes allowing smoking and not allowing smoking .... the employers choice. If one doesn't like the rules, tough, go find another job or business to patronize.

[RobRoy]

People still smoke?!?!

I gotta get out more...

[RightOnline]

As usual, this has nothing whatsoever to do with smoking; it has EVERYTHING to do with pissants who think they know what's better for thee and me.

I'm a 48 year old man, I lift weights five days a week and am in excellent physical shape, and I can keep up with most 21 year olds. I am also a smoker of 30 years. If I choose to smoke, it's my own damned business. I don't need the government, an employer, or any other pushy idiot telling me what I can or cannot do on my own time or trying to regulate an entirely legal act.

Make it illegal or shut the hell up, you anti-smoking schmucks. While you're at it, get a life. You have WAY too much time on your hands.