Smelling smoke at work

[CantStandSmoke]

Some of my co-workers are smokers. Although it's prohibited to smoke inside the premises, they do go outside for the smoking break. My problem is I am extremely sensitive to smell of smoke. I constantly smell smoke in my office (despite having my own room), I can smell the after smoke body odor of my co-workers. Specially if they walk-by, It is like a trail of smoke. I try putting up a fan, blow it inward or outward to circulate the air, it makes no difference. I have no right to stop my co-workers from smoking. Is there anything I can do to get rid of the smell (other than quitting my job) ?  Is smelling their smoke something abnormal ? Is smelling a smoker's smoking body odor hazardous to my health (such as can it cause cancer )?

Thanks.

[GTeye]

The problem is that insurance costs are not individualized in a company environment.  The cost is spread among everyone.

[Haven62]

Hi. I have COPD, smoked for yrs off & on, quit--crisis comes up-start-quit- you get the picture. Finally free for 51/2 yrs now & love it. However, I was diagnosed with COPD 2yrs ago. Since I quit, I can smell cig. smoke if someone lights a cig. in a parking lot and I can't even see them or a rise of smoke. I can smell it on people when they pass by me (not close). I never realized how much it smelled til after I had quit for quite a while. But now that I have COPD, if I'm around the smoke trail or smoky clothes for --in one case--an hour, I coughed all night long. The next day, I had to use my nebulizer which I only use when I am sick. Otherwise I havbe Advair and Spiriva and rescue inhalers. So, do I think it has an affect? Absolutely. Factories spew smoke in the high open air and the EPA monitors it, our cars exhaust is monitored and now we have catalytic converters on the muffler. (FYI: after being in a parking garage while numerous cars were leaving, I had the same effect --coughing all night--as from cig. smoke). Obviously just smelling something can do some people if not all a great deal of harm. If you are sensitive (or not) ask your doctor what you might do. I hate to say wear a face mask to lessen what you breathe in, but if you're out of sight of customers, why not. Plus I like the fan blowing away from you to push it past as much as possible. As smokiing gets more "pushy" by people who want it outlawed, I think it will get to where a person wanting to smoke has to walk 500 ft. away from the bldg. At hospitals in my city, you cannot smoke on the grounds, which takes up a good sized area. But nicotine is a serious addictive & tob. cos. make big $$s on it so ..... Yes, you may  need to find a nonsmoking company. And, if all the employees are nonsmokers, the health insurance rates are lower. so theres a plus..

[allmymarbles]

I can't stand beer breath. I can't stand the smell of pot. There are lots of smells people can't stand, and lots of smells that are noxious (car exhaust, LA smog?). Why do you single out tobacco smell? Is it because you feel virtuous doing it?

[allmymarbles]

I must disagree with you. When a smoker applies for insurance, he is rated (that is to say, he pays more than a nonsmoker). The insurance company takes tests, and the nicotine shows up in the test. Everyone takes these tests. A nonsmoker who is around a smoker is not rated which must mean that the amount of nicotine is too miniscule to register.  Insurance companies are not in the business of losing money. If there is a risk, you will pay for it. You, yourself, say there is no documentation. Of course there isn't. But to let the public know that would undermine the drive to quit smoking.

(My husband is an insurance agent.)

[sk8flo]

Look into getting a small air cleaner with charcoal and HIPA filter, but be sure not to get an electronic zapping one or one that creates ozone.  There are many available.

The more you obsess about this, the more conscious you will be of every little smell of smoke.......many people can't tolerate perfumes for the same reason.  Losing a job in todays economy should be a last resort.

[David S. Wilson, MD, FCCP]

What you are referring to is known as third hand smoke and it is potentially harmful...there are no directly correlating studies to document this but almost all pulmonologists like myself believe that it is a health risk...albeit much less than first or second hand smoke.