R.J. Reynolds : The “R” Is For “Repulsive”

At a business lunch yesterday I was talking to one of our product vendors about various topics, and although we were in the non-smoking section, everyone in our area was being hit with waves of smoke while waiting for our food. The ensuing discussion led to him mentioning that R.J. Reynolds was a customer of his as well, and he went on to describe the environment there. It’s so bizzare I just had to blog it.

First off, he has to bring massive allergy medication just to do onsite visits there. Why? Well, all employees are allowed to smoke right in their cubes. Not only in their cubes, but anywhere in the building. People were actually puffing away while he was doing his initial product presentation. He described the conference room he was in as having a giant ashtray in the middle of the room full of butts. He said the walls were even yellow in many places. But that’s not the crazy part:

Every day, around the same time, someone brings a cart by to everyone’s cube and from that cart each employee can select a pack of cigarettes of their choice — free of charge.

Free. A pack a day. Distributed by the company.

Wow.

I wonder what their health insurance package looks like…