Smoking in the Workplace

Smoking in the Workplace: The Unhealthy Consequence
Crystal Hicks
COMM/112
July 27, 2011
Kathleen Neff
University of Phoenix

Smoking in the Workplace

Despite what smoking can do to oneself and others, some people are always going to take that risk. Smoking in the workplace has always been an issue. If an individual is a smoker and has tried to stop, you know that it is not easy. I am a smoker who wants to quit, but just cannot seem to kick the habit. The most addictive part of smoking is the nicotine that is naturally found in tobacco. Some signs of being addicted to cigarettes are as follows: smoking more than seven cigarettes a day, needing to have a cigarette even if one is sick and in bed, and needing a cigarette within 30 minutes of waking up. Some individuals can become physically and emotionally dependent on cigarettes. The US Surgeon General, the leading person on matters of public health, has said, “Smoking cessation represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and the quality of their lives” (n.d., Background on Smoking). Smoking in the workplace should be banned because of the negative impact on the environment, healthcare costs, and the quality of life.
Smoking cigarettes can cause many different types of diseases, such as cancer and emphysema. Smoking is the number one cause for lung cancer. Emphysema is when the air flow is blocked, and it is caused by smoking. Smoking also causes second hand smoke or SHS. Second hand smoke could also cause other innocent individuals to get sick as well. There are many studies that have been done that have concluded that second hand smoke is worse than lighting the cigarette and smoking it. The chemicals that are in cigarettes are already mixed together when you blow out the cigarette smoke. If someone were to walk into that cloud of smoke they are automatically a victim of second hand smoke.
People who smoke do not realize that, when they start smoking, there is never a good outcome, unless the smoker is able to stop before any major damage is done. There is not a guarantee that the smoking that has already happened will not have an effect on the smoker. Smoking is not only bad for our organs; it is also bad for the environment (Carpenter, 2010). Second hand smoke is a major issue. Second hand smoke is bad for our environment as well. All we are doing is making the hole in the ozone bigger and risking our lives at the same time. Cigarette butts are not bio-degradable. So when smokers just throw them on the ground, the cigarette butts just stay there, unless someone sweeps them up. It is not only the outside environment that we should worry about. It is also the inside environments, such as our households. If households have children in them and the parents smoke in the house, the children are being exposed to the SHS first hand. Smokers are harming the most important people in their lives by smoking. That is why I am trying to stop. I do not want anything that I do to negatively affect my children.
There are many different businesses that are banning smoking from the workplace because it makes the business look unattractive and it is unhealthy. Smoking in the workplace is causing employers to raise their insurance rates due to the rising healthcare costs. By banning smoking in the workplace there was a decrease in hospital visits. Hospitality workers had the largest percentage in second hand smoke exposure (Callinan, Clarke, Doherty, Kelleher, 2010). Some people do not know when they are sick, especially from second hand smoke. Many people cannot afford to go to the hospital when they get sick. Healthcare costs have also gone up between 8-10% within the last several years (Hiudt, 2009). The estimated healthcare cost in 1998 was $3200 per smoker (Bolin, Lindgren, 2007).
We rely on ourselves, the government, people and things around us to be able to survive and make the quality of life sustainable. The quality of life is something that people and smokers take for granted on a daily basis. Cigarettes are very addictive. One’s body can become addicted as soon as the individual takes the first hit off of the cigarette. An individuals lifestyle can also change dramatically when you start smoking. There are researchers and doctors who have done studies on many different drugs that can wean people off of smoking, to make their quality of life even better. If you really want to stop smoking consult your doctor. Or if you have a strong support system, consult them and see what they have to say. Do not be afraid to ask for help. There are a great deal of reasons to quit smoking. Some people want to quit so that they are not a negative influence on their children. Others quit for health reasons. There is always a reason behind everything that we do. If you are a smoker, step back and look at yourself and the things around you. Find a reason to fight the urge to smoke. If you want to do some research on some medications that help you quit, you can get on the Internet. There is a lot of information online that could possibly help. I believe that each life is worth saving. If all it takes is asking for help, then by all means ask. The government and businesses are making it to where you cannot smoke anywhere on the premises. Instead of getting frustrated because there is not a place where we can smoke, people should just try their best to quit smoking. Ultimately, if people do not quit smoking, they will die. Even if just a few smokers live then they can encourage and inspire others to stop.

References
Bolin, K., & Lindgren, B. (2007). Smoking, Healthcare costs, and loss of productivity. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 35(2), 187-196.
Callinan, J.E., Clarke, A., Doherty, K., & Kelleher, C. (2010). Legislative smoking bans for reducing SHS exposure. Smoking prevalence and tobacco consumption, (6),.
Carpenter, C.S. (2009). Journal of Human Resources. The effects of local workplace smoking laws on smoking restrictions and exposure to smoke at work, 44(4), 1023-1046
Huidt, T.P. (2009). Towards a smoke free workplace. A roadmap for private employers, 21(3), 26-30.
(n.d.). Background on smoking. Retrieved from http://dosomething.org

References
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