While I was working for someone other than myself, I saw the smokers
going outside to smoke several times a day (smoking indoors in New Mexico is
against the law in public access buildings).  Sometimes you had to peer out
the windows to find your supervisor.  My observation was that smoking in the
workplace built a very real comradely, the smokers were great friends and
socialized together more than us non-smokers.  Many of them got promoted
together because of their good relationships.  Those of us who didn't smoke
and rushed home to our families, didn't move up as quickly.
    Another recent head-banging observation...my almost 16 year old daughter
smokes, to the dismay of her family.  It recently became very apparent why,
even though her family doesn't smoke and preaches the evils of tobacco, the
biggest social group in her life, which shall remain nameless, that she
attends 2-5 times a month since age 12, has most of the older girls smoking.
I was standing outside with the adults prior to a meeting when I realized
that of the 10 adults in attendance, only 2 of us were non-smokers and these
adults did the "stand around and smoke before and after the meeting and
laughed and enjoyed themselves".  What message does that send to these teen
girls!  I am horrified and plan to go to the board to request the adults not
smoke at the meetings.  I don't think I'll be very successful, but I'll try.
    Jacie