DEAR HARRIETTE: My co-worker is an avid smoker. Every time he gets a break, he goes outside and smokes a cigarette. He does stand in the area reserved for smokers, but the moment he walks back into the building, he brings that awful stench of smoke with him. It’s terrible. He sits right next to me, so I feel like I’m getting second-hand smoke, even though there’s never a lit cigarette in my presence. What can I do to have cleaner air in my area? -- Polluted, Cincinnati
DEAR POLLUTED: I feel for you. Part of me feels for him, too: Smokers have been virtually excommunicated from our culture. Given that smoking cigarettes is an addictive behavior, I know that some people simply can’t figure out how to quit. Your co-worker probably thinks he’s doing the best he can without realizing the impact on you and the others in the office.
What can you do? Invest in a small air purifier that you plug in close to your desk. This will help clean the air of all impurities, including the residual smell of smoke. Keep it on all day to have constant air cleaning happening. You can also spray a room sanitizer that’s designed to clean the air. Look for something that’s more than perfume. That will only change the smell of the air.
You can also ask your supervisor to move your desk. Explain that the smell of smoke is making you sick.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)