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Personal stories about toxic jobs and workplace woes.


June 02, 2012

sniffing out smokers

Carmel has noticed since returning to work after a break of a few years that the nicotine Nazi dogs have taken over the workplace – sniffing out smokers – and although she enjoys her job and earns well, the workplace culture is toxic and more detrimental to her health than a couple of cigarettes!

"I'm the only one who smokes in my team," says Carmel, "and it really annoys me that everyone on my team makes my business their business."

"Unfortunately smoking leaves a telltale odor," says Carmel, "and they deliberately come up close and sniff at me to see whether I’ve been smoking.”

“Imagine being sniffed at by co-workers!”

“Even if I smoke in the open-air or brush my teeth after smoking there is always a slight waft of cigarette odor on my clothes and in my hair, and the nicotine Nazis dogs just love to smell it and give me hell."

"If I have to put up with their garlic breath and body odor," laughs Carmel, "then they should have to put up with a waft of cigarette odor on my clothes and in my hair."

She makes the point that a waft of cigarette odor on a person's clothing or hair is not the same as cigarette odor in a room where a person has been smoking. And yet, it seems, no distinction is made.

"I enjoy smoking," explains Carmel. "Yes, my habit leaves a dirty mess in ashtrays and it has an unpleasant odor - the slightest whiff of which may offend others. It is becoming an incredibly expensive habit to maintain thanks to government taxes reaping a profit from my pleasure. I am also aware that it is potentially damaging my health and I do worry about nicotine being a highly addictive substance - more addictive than heroin - meaning that I may not be able to quit easily when I want to."

"All that said, it’s nobody's business but mine if I choose to smoke in my own time," says Carmel, “and it is disgusting and degrading to have people at work sniffing me. The situation at work is really toxic.”

“If I didn’t have to work, I would walk away,” sighs Carmel, “so I guess I have no alternative but to put up with it until I can find a job where smokers are not being sniffed out by a pack of nicotine Nazi dogs.”

Read more by Carmel on this issue:


  • workplace nicotine nazis
  • smelly co-workers
  • rights and responsibilities
  • Is smoking a choice or a need?



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