Posts by Alex Gonzalez5

coastalmason10 said:RekO 😁

Oh, pardon 🙂

Melissa James70 said:I’ve certainly dealt with those periods at previous companies—it is genuinely exhausting when you find yourself as the lone voice of reason, constantly pushing back multiple times a day. It takes a massive mental toll, especially if you aren't someone who thrives on daily conflict. And honestly—the worst part of it all—why should I be the one stuck handling that? Why am I expected to spend my time arguing with reckless addicts every single day? To have to deal with that five days a week, on top of my actual job description, is just an unnecessary burden—especially if you actually value your own sanity.

We once had this one guy who flat-out refused to be baptized—it was quite the ordeal. I actually ended up having a conversation with my boss about it at the time; he was a non-smoker, you see, and he strictly forbade it. Well, the colleague just dug his heels in right then and there—and honestly, he stayed stubborn for the next few years. It was a total disaster—imagine that—he was forced to go smoke out on the balcony just to get by. ☕

Then he was diagnosed with lung cancer—and just like that, six months later, he was gone. Fifty years old. Just gone.

I have absolutely nothing to say...

I appreciate you sharing this with us...

steelwalker26 said:I know it all too well—but honestly, finding good health is even harder.

I recently lost a family member to lung cancer—a smoker, in his fifties. He was a truly great man, gone far too soon.
You want to know what the most devastating part of this story is? Both of his sons—after the initial shock and grief—just kept smoking. They want to quit, I suppose, but they simply can't. It’s as if there is something in that tobacco that does profound damage to the brain itself.

So, please—get out now before things get much worse. Start looking around at where you could go instead; maybe the universe will decide to give you a better chance than you ever dared to hope for.

😢
I am convinced that cigarettes cause far more damage than we can even fathom—especially to the brain—it's just that those facts will never be fully released to the public, for very obvious reasons.
An example from my own circle:
I knew a guy who smoked five packs a day. He passed out once, and the doctor told him he had to stop immediately or his cholesterol would kill him. So, he stopped. Just like that.
Two years later, his tests came back perfect, and he started right back up again. Automatically.

steelwalker26 said:Go back and read my last two posts—do you really think I’d write that if I weren't on your side? I didn't throw 🙂 🙂 🎉 at you because I think this is a massive issue, and frankly, the way they’re treating you is unacceptable. You are an equal human being—you deserve to be healthy just as much as anyone else at your firm—and it isn't right that their addictions are actively harming you.
But, honestly, based strictly on what you've told me and my own experience dealing with smokers... I don't think you're going to win this fight. Every single one of them is stubborn and difficult enough on their own, and when you factor in the CEO... it might just be better to walk away. You only get one life, and you have to look out for yourself—because those smokers around you certainly won't.

Oops, my bad—I missed the first post.
Thanks, friend 🙂

You're right, obviously... But finding a new job isn't exactly easy, you know? 🙄

coastalmason10 said:Tell them to just go outside and deal with it—or at least open a window—instead of being such rude, ill-mannered jerks. 👎

You hit the nail on the head here—it all comes down to upbringing. 🙂

Thanks

steelwalker26 said:Alex Gonzalez5,

it's like driving beasts out of their dens with smoke—that's how this feels. You really need to think about your standing at that company—if they actually valued you or respected you, they wouldn't be acting this way; they either need you or they're afraid of you. Honestly, it might be smartest to just start looking for a new job.

Aelia—we have a similar law here in the States, as mentioned earlier in this thread. Alex Gonzalez5 is currently in Canada.

You know, you're probably right! There's something there—likely buried deep in my subconscious. Though, I must say, you sounded pretty harsh, and you don't exactly come across as being in a friendly mood toward me—but hey, thanks for weighing in on the topic anyway!

neonstag63 said:I don't know—I get that you're tired of it, but would you honestly rather deal with being a nuisance or face actual health complications? 🤔
I suppose anyone would get fed up having to constantly tell people what not to do, but—don't you think it’s worth it this time? This isn't some trivial annoyance; we're talking about something vital—your health.

Is there really no law prohibiting smoking in office spaces? :you just can't ignore stuff like this: 🙈

You're right, both on that point and regarding me being annoying... But it's like they've become so used to my nagging that they just placate me, and then when I finally bring it up again, they say: WE'LL DO IT WHEN THE CEO STOPS, OR WHEN HE FINALLY TELLS US.
I've even spoken with the CEO, but since he's a smoker himself—and because most of them are—he's far too soft on the issue. And yeah, he's technically breaking the law, since those regulations are the same here in the States.
He once mentioned they'd work out a plan with me, but after that, he just avoids the subject whenever it comes up...

Raymond Gray2, neonstag63,

Thanks for understanding. It’s actually nice to hear someone say something like that.
Believe me, I have tried everything you mentioned regarding my health issues—I constantly speak up, and sometimes, it actually works for maybe half an hour... but I can't just keep repeating myself; that would mean doing it five or six times a day, five days a week. We’d end up fighting until it hurts. Maybe that’s where it’s headed, I don't even know anymore. Though, I wouldn't want that—I really value having decent professional relationships. But seriously, since this morning, the room has been so thick with smoke that the fumes are practically stinging my eyes.
I show up showered, in clean clothes, smelling great, and then I leave here smelling terrible, with my hair feeling greasy and gross—I honestly feel disgusted with myself. I feel so self-conscious that I’m almost afraid to stand near the cashier at the grocery store.
And that is just the tip of the iceberg. My lungs are taking the hit, my heart is taking the hit—I am truly at my breaking point!
Dammit, all they care about is shoving that stench down our throats! Their intelligence is absolutely nonexistent!!!!!!
Sorry, I just snapped. 😢

I’ve tried everything from being incredibly polite to issuing some pretty direct warnings.
But honestly? Nothing works. They pay a little bit of lip service to my requests—just enough to look compliant—and then they go right back to their old habits.
I mean, why should I expect any restraint from them when they were literally smoking during their pregnancies? 😢 How are you even supposed to reason with people like that?
And when I try to set a firm boundary, they just hide behind the excuse that "it’s allowed everywhere else in the office!"
I have to say, reaching an agreement with my male colleagues is much more straightforward—they actually make an effort to cooperate... whereas the women here are just hopeless when it comes to this sort of thing.

rustyharbor3, dear—how do you usually handle that awful situation? I suppose it happens right when you're filing the paperwork?

Honestly, Sandra Wells5, I feel you on this one!
It’s like every single thing you say is coming straight out of my own mouth—we are dealing with almost the exact same situation.
But let me ask you—does it ever happen to you where someone comes up to you to vent (someone who doesn't smoke, obviously), and they just hit you with that: "Eh, everyone has the right to do what they want, it doesn't bother me"?
Those are the people who really dig us into a hole—those who look at everything with such cold indifference, acting like, "Well, it doesn't affect me, so why should it affect you?" Well, it *does* affect me!
I am just so fed up with those spineless types—I've reached a point where I feel like picking a fight with smokers everywhere I go.
And then there's this cough... a total smoker's cough!

Good grief, you all jumped straight into the physical fighting part—I meant that metaphorically, obviously. Though, I suppose a little blunt object to the skull wouldn't hurt them; maybe then they’d actually wake up their brains for once 😁
The problem is, I can't exactly report them without making it obvious it was me!

Thanks for the replies. It’s a bit easier knowing I’m not the only one dealing with this—though there is one massive, glaring "unfortunately" attached to that thought.
I just cannot wrap my head around the mindset that you can consciously jeopardize someone else's health just for your own little pleasure and still sleep soundly at night. Even if they are supposedly "good people," there is clearly something fundamentally broken in their logic—nothing can convince me otherwise. Their sense of social responsibility is... well, let's just say it's primitive. Period.
Lately, my lungs have been killing me. I've got this constant cough and a low-grade fever that's been hanging around for twenty days now. I am almost certain it's pneumonia, but when I saw my doctor, she insisted everything was fine. She did give me a referral for more testing, so now I'm just stuck waiting for my appointment date. These medical professionals know exactly what's going on, yet they watch people smoking like crazy all around them! It's absolutely infuriating.
If it turns out that I really do have pneumonia—or even bronchitis—I honestly fear I might walk into work and lose it. I feel like I'll end up smashing everything in sight just to get some justice!
😢

First off, greetings to everyone!

I am reaching out because I am interested in hearing about your experiences—whether they are firsthand or just things you've observed—for a pretty simple reason: I suspect I am slowly becoming a victim of secondhand smoke, and frankly, I have no intention of letting that happen.

Thanks, and best regards!