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Angry smokers criticise fag break ban

5:53pm Thursday 26th April 2007

comment Comments (19)   Have your say »

By Richard Gurner »

Smokers have accused council bosses of "fascist behaviour" for banning their fag breaks.

Lewes District Council has stopped all staff and councillors from nipping out for a cigarette during working hours.

Neil Rafferty, spokesman of smokers' rights organisation Forest, strongly criticised the move and said: "It is really unfortunate that Lewes District Council has decided to be so heavy handed and to be so abusive towards its staff.

"This is fascist behaviour from them and they should be ashamed of themselves."

The prohibition will be introduced ahead new legislation comes into effect banning the habit from the majority of enclosed public places.

From July all work places will have to be smoke-free, including pubs and clubs.

Lewes council has gone further than the legislation requires and banned smoking on all council property and stopped staff from taking smoking breaks.

The only council premises that would be exempt are private residences.

Council chairwoman Marina Pepper hit back angrily at Forest and said: "Isn't it typical of a pro-smoking lobby to think it can speak on behalf of the diligent and hard working staff of Lewes District Council?

"We value the health and well-being of our community and I'm looking forward to being re-elected as a councillor and as a smoker I intend to lead from the front and I'm going to give smoking up.

"How dare he speak on the staff's behalf. He doesn't have the right or the information to speak on their behalf."

As part of its strategy to deal with the ban the council will offer smokers help to quit and appoint a part-time officer in the short term to help organise staff training on the law to ensure compliance.

Local authorities and businesses across Sussex have been busy preparing for the smoking ban. In 65 days' time, England will fall into line with the rest of the UK with the smoking ban.

Banning smoking breaks has sparked hot debate among readers.

Have your say below.

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Your Say YourArgus

richard monk, brighton says...
7:16pm Thu 26 Apr 07

Just what is "a **** break",not a break just because someone wants a **** i hope!

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Nick, Brighton, UK says...
11:31pm Thu 26 Apr 07

Marina Pepper hit back angrily at Forest and said: "Isn't it typical of a pro-smoking lobby to think it can speak on behalf of the diligent and hard working staff of Lewes District Council?". Marina, I am both an ex-council worker (though not Lewes) and an ex-smoker (3 years now). I support smokers wishing to give up smoking, but your comments and this new measure are typical of the anti-smoking lobby - these smokers, most of whom make up the time, are not having an impact on non-smokers as long as they are smoking outside - you just can't stand the thought of them smoking. I understand banning smoking in pubs (though I have a lot of sympathy for the smokers who will be affected), but banning people from having a **** break is pretty fascist. Glad to know that Lewes have got their priorities straight (while also glad that I'm not a council taxpayer in Lewes)!

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Alex, Sydney, ex Brighton says...
12:38am Fri 27 Apr 07

I see Lewes Councils fascist tendencies are alive and well, they act as a not so benign dictator. How dare you block the new Albion stadium?

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Sue, Hove says...
6:15am Fri 27 Apr 07

Why should smokers have extra breaks? They do not make up the time. It is just treating all workers the same - it is not fascist behaviour - smokers have had it far too easy for far too long.
I hope the smokers will stop littering the pavements as well. Smokers are inconsiderate people who think about nothing but thenmselves.
Hoorah for equality.

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Rob, Brighton says...
7:15am Fri 27 Apr 07

I agree with Sue. It is essentially a matter of equality. Why should any one group have more breaks than another? If people choose to smoke, it is their choice. As a smpker, I will confess that I do feel stupid huddled with my "coffin nail" on some street corner, I know it's a dangerous habit, and I know it adds enormously to my tax bill. In short, it really is a stupid habit. But it is my choice, however it does not give me more rights than the next person. So, no more cigarette breaks for me, and I shall feel better for it...I hope!!! :-)

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Andy, Worthing says...
7:42am Fri 27 Apr 07

When they go on a break they are not working, not available to answer phones or help colleagues. Why not have their smoking break but in return give up 1/2 hours pay a day? I see the same old faces leaving the building, some spending up to nearly an hour a day going out to smoke, why should they be allowed to? Surely they can wait until lunch?

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Peter Farley, Hurstpierpoint says...
7:51am Fri 27 Apr 07

Lewes Council aside, Southern Railway has used the cover of the July 1 smoking band to prohibit smoking anywhere on its properties - including platforms etc... This is just typical of the arrogant contempt and disregard it shows for over a third of its customers and is probably a flagrant abuse of its monopoly position. If there were alternative service providers you can be sure there would be competition for the business of smokers. It doesn't take much effort to be both smoker friendly and considerate to other passengers. I just wonder who is going to be first to claim ownership of the open air and try to ban smoking there too.

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Brian, Brighton says...
8:32am Fri 27 Apr 07

I agree with Sue,Rob and Andy.Why should i work longer hours each day than smokers just because i do not smoke.But if they really want breaks then let them have the breaks unpaid or let them work late to make up the time.

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craig, brighton says...
12:34pm Fri 27 Apr 07

smokers taking longer and more breaks. this may be the case but as a smoker we take no more than 7 mins to get from desk to outside smoke and back again whilst we endure dirty looks and complaints from non smokers who havent the guts to moan in our faces, also may i also point out that these NON SMOMKERS tend to spend a lot of time chit chatting around work office often on many occasions this goes on for more than an hour. so now who wastes more time. its about time all you non smokersa stopped moaning youve got your way now shut up and get a grip, next yourll be blaming us for global warming, but we all know thats just a money grabbing exercise by governments and corporations after a quick buck, thers not **** thing we can do about earths natural flucuations.

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Gregory, says...
1:55pm Fri 27 Apr 07

A study was done years ago by the Navy, that found that smokers were actually more productive than non-smokers. Of course this study was buried and didn't see the light of day because that is not the answer they wanted to publish.

If I had a choice as a businessman, I would hire ONLY smokers and allow them to smoke at their desks - the productivity would exceed any non-smoking facility !!!

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Peter, Hastings says...
2:17pm Fri 27 Apr 07

That's the answer then - put the smokers in the navy. If Craig gave up smoking he could put the money towards English lessons!

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Nick, Brighton, UK says...
4:45pm Fri 27 Apr 07

Fair enough - some smokers may take the mickey with making up time. Yet, I see many non-smokers having their water-cooler/coffee break chats, wasting 10 or 15 minutes of potential working time (which, of course, they'd never make up). Most employees take informal breaks throughout the day; smokers, because they are seen outside the building are perceived as shirkers, whereas the non-smoking gossips are tolerated for some reason. Like I said in my earlier post, some non-smokers just can't stand the thought of people smoking, even if it's not affecting them directly and even if they know the smokers will make up the time.

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MRab2, Worcester says...
12:13pm Sun 29 Apr 07

I had this argument with an employer a while back who wanted to stop ciggy breaks. I'm contracted for 37 hours a week and routinely work over 40 (we have no formal breaks other than lunch) - which I didn't mind. I informed him if he went through with it that I wouldn't ever work more than my 37 hours and he let is slide. We're all supposed to be adults, can't we find a compromise that works for everyone?

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MRab2, Worcester says...
12:22pm Sun 29 Apr 07

To Rob, Sue and Andy.
Am I to assume that from the moment you arrive at your desk until you leave at night (ignoring lunch) you are solidly working. You do not go to the toilet, you do not go grab a coffee, you do not pause for a mid morning snack and you most certainly do not talk to any of your co-workers about anything not explicitly work related? The company gets eight solid hours of work out of you every day? I highly doubt it. I take 2 breaks in the morning and 1 OR 2 in the afternoon and work MORE than that back every day. Am I being unreasonable to ask the status-quo remains?

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Robert Feal-Martinez, Swindon says...
8:55am Mon 30 Apr 07

Council chairwoman Marina Pepper hit back angrily at Forest and said: "Isn't it typical of a pro-smoking lobby to think it can speak on behalf of the diligent and hard working staff of Lewes District Council?'. I have a simple question for the Councillor, 'did the council ask their staff?'. If not what gives the Chairwoman the right to impose her will, after all as a Councillor she is elected to represent the views of the Constituents and not engage in employment policy decisions that are the responsibility of the Professional Employed Officers. Those employers who feel aggrieved by this decision should visit www.freedom2choose.co.uk where you can join those of us fighting this fascism. You could also vot UKIP in the local elections. They are the only party committed to allowing choice over smoking.

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Diana Reid, Guelph, Ontario. Canada. says...
6:00pm Mon 30 Apr 07

Fine, I want all those who sit at their desk all day and never leave it to stand up. Use only your scheduled breaks to use the toilet for a start.
No more disappearing on erands or taking private phone calls.
If you want the place run like Scrooge everyone becomes Bob Cratchet.

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mandy, cambs says...
11:10pm Tue 1 May 07

Could not have put it better myself, Neil has every right to voice his opinion. That has not been banned Marina Pepper. You sound like a dictator, I think. Outside in the open air is not harming anyone. It is a hateful ban anyway.
for those who think ventilation and non-smoking venues should have been the way forward, please check us out at freedom2choose.co.uk we need to fight this unwanted ban and we need to fight it together. Tolerant non-smokers and smokers alike.
Smokers to the left- chubblies to the right - make way for perfection.

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Sue, Norfolk says...
11:46am Sat 19 May 07

Banning smoking in our cars as it is a distraction!! Well if that is the case Ban children as they are far more distracting, ban other passengers in the car as talking to them is distracting, ban radio's and stereo's as they to are distracting, ban hands free mobile phones as well as all mobile phones as the conversations are still distracting from giving full attention to driving. Talk of banning smoking even outside - get a grip I dare say that there are things about the Non Smokers we object to but we do not persecute them - Non Smokers get a life of your own and leave us to get on with ours.

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Kate, Isle of Wight says...
2:06am Sun 8 Jul 07

Smokers do not take longer than non-smokers during their breaks. Every worker should have breaks, and how they want to spend that time is upto them. Whether you go to the communal room to have a coffee or go outside to have a cigarette, it makes no difference. Neither group should have more or less time than the other. Ten minutes is ten minutes whatever you do. If a smoker is late back he should be penalised, as should a non-smoker. Breaks, after all, is your own time, so you can relax from work and go back refreshed. I think it is absolutely outrageous that employers can tell their staff what to do in their own time.

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