What do you think of smokers having breaks generally?
Do you care, think it's unfair, never paid much attention?

Reminds me of the time when I had to stay behind in my retail store to prepare for a sale and these two smokers went outside and started giggling and gossiping for a good 20 minutes. The rest of us didn't get a break
Nonetheless, I know not every smoker will take advantage of that situation.


Please don't get defensive or angry. I'm generally asking.

I smoke and I didn't had a 20 minutes break to smoke I just smoked my cigarette and came back inside

Wish my colleagues were like you. They're horrid.

get back into your job. there shouldn't be any smoking breaks or anything of the sort

YOU decided to smoke, and YOU decided to take up your job. this is what YOU decided. too bad so sad if you can't bring a cig into the workplace. deal with it

Sometimes it's annoying. I was really annoyed by this fact because last week or 2 weeks ago I need this one person to test something I did and of course, he was in a break. And I had to wait for him. And this happened like 4-5 times.

xoxo Prince Lightning

I thought either all employees have breaks (to smoke, snack, coffee etc) or no breaks at all. Never knew smokers could randomly leave their jobs for a break while the other workers remain on their places

I don't smoke, but at my job we are all entitled to 2 15 minute breaks, whether we smoke or not

Well, obviously I work in retail so I don't even define it as professional. But I do feel like smoking in the work place is the most 'legit' excuse to get out. I even know someone who became a social smoker because it's easier to get a break. I wouldn't really say randomly leave jobs either -- not for my situation in the OP anyways because the store was closed and we were preparing for a sale

as long as you do it on the break that you are SUPPOSED to have at work I'm ok with it


but girl if you can't be 3-4 hours without smoking and you feel anxiety or something... seek some help

I didn't know this happened at work and that it was allowed.

Also buy Carrie Underwood's Smoke Break on iTunes

I feel like usually smokers just smoke their cig and come back but I guess it depends on the job. When I worked at urban outfitters you had to ask to use the bathroom and a lot of times they'd make you wait, can't imagine it would've been easy to get a 20 minute cig break

In my job, everyone working 6 hrs+ during the day is entitled to one 30 minute break. Some smoking workers split their break to 15 minutes and 3 x 5 minutes. During those 15 minutes they usually eat and those 5 minutes breaks they use to go out and smoke. But i noticed most smoking workers use the 30 minute break AND go out to smoke if they feel the need to. BUT they usually come back after like 1-2 minutes. If someone went for 20 minutes they'd probably get a rebuke or something.

many a time when i worked at kfc, at the end of the night they'd all go out for a smoke break after close. i would stay inside sometimes and finish my mopping so i could leave faster. or go outside and BS with them.

at my last job, we had 2 fifteen minute breaks.. but i saw managers and leads abuse this rule

I feel the same way. A cig takes a minute yet I've worked with people who spend a good tenth of their shift outside. It's disgracefully lazy & gives smokers a bad name.

if everyone gets equal break time, I would not bother.

However, the smokers getting special privilege over their cigarette addiction is what everyone should have a problem with

It doesn't bother me. Most of the smokers at my work are people who I don't really care for. They could take an hours break and I wouldn't even be bothered by their absence

Honestly, that's a sign of a lazy person in general and not smokers overall.

I used to smoke a lot and I made sure to use my regular 10 minute breaks to do it then.

Otherwise, I'd wait until my shift is over to grab a smoke.

I'm a manager at Mcdonalds (I know i know big whoop, clearly doing a lot with my life) and one of my biggest complaints that I hear when I let the smokers (myself sometimes included) take a courtesy is some people complain and moan about it, but to them (and those in general who seem to not like smokers being allowed to go out quickly to smoke) I ask, have you ever asked to have a quick refresher? My crew complains about the smokers going out and I always tell them "If you'd just ask for a quick break, I'd let you go"