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I can't be fagged

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Mark Cummings | 12:18 UK time, Tuesday, 2 November 2010

Do you think it's OK for smokers to pop out of work whenever they feel in need of a nicotine fix?

Some council workers in Norfolk are being stopped from doing that very thing from this week - they will be asked to clock on and off whenever they go for a cigarette break.

We asked our county council what its policy was, they told us they don't have one - it's at the manager's discretion.

Here's a selection of comments fro the Tuesday's Show regarding the issue and a few memories of the old days! Your thoughts always welcome, post a comment or cummings@bbc.co.uk

Peter in Stratford says isn't it employment law that everyone is entitled to a 5 minute break every hour for either the toilet, water/coffee break - or cigarette?

Fred in Cheltenham says during the war the wounded would be given a cigarette to help numb the pain and calm them down. Do we think this is still done in Afghanistan?

Anon on the text says that they don't mind people having cigarette breaks, as long as they don't take coffee or Facebook breaks as well!

Amanda emailed in to say that when she worked for a travel company back in the 80's...they were encouraged to offer their clients cigarettes whilst searching for and booking holidays... if the client accepted, the worker was expected to smoke with them to make them feel relax.

Fred in Cheltenham worked at an engineering firm...says smoking was bad...but chewing baccy was worse...says when he was an apprentice he worked alongside an old boy who like to chew....and then of course spit...he had a tin near their machine but he would often miss...hitting him on many occasions!!!

Jim in Tewkesbury used to work in an accountancy office where the three 'old boys' would each smoke a pipe...it was like a navy operation... cover the place in smoke so nobody would see you!

Robert in Cheltenham says he used to have a doctor who smoked like a chimney but would then tell you off for smoking!

Rob in Cam says when the smoking office ban came in...he found people made any excuse possible to go from building to building in order to have a sneaky fag...he used to work with one guy called Luke who they nicknamed "Luke sight-walker"!

-dave, tetbury says you go to work for one reason only and that's to do a decent days work. the time adds up if people are going for a 10 minutes fag break 6 times a day. That's almost an hour gone. Some people think they are employed at a holiday camp.

Helen on the text says when she started teaching 34 years ago the school staff room was a fog at break times and often staff would have a quick nicotine fix first thing in the morning with a coffee. Helen says she can't even imagine it now! It seems so appalling.

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