Tobacco.org

• HERMAN: Are state employees not fessing up to tobacco use? 

Last year, Texas lawmakers had a good idea (hey, one out of a bazillion isn't bad). The idea, converted into law, is a "tobacco cessation" program for state workers and retirees, including higher health insurance premiums for tobacco users and coverage for tobacco cessation drugs. It went into effect Jan. 1. State employees and retirees had from Nov. 7 to Dec. 9 to report if they or any family members covered by the plan are tobacco users (defined as using tobacco products more than five times in the previous three months). The additional monthly premium for tobacco users is $30 per person, with a maximum of $90 per family.

(Best footnote on the Employees Retirement System Q-and-A about the program: "The charge for a child is the same regardless of how many children in the household use tobacco." Sure, junior, go ahead and light up. We're already paying for your sister.)

So what we have is a self-reporting system. That always goes well, doesn't it? Please raise your hand if you want to pay more.

Last year, the Legislative Budget Board -- working with a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 18 percent of adult Texans use tobacco products -- guesstimated there are 74,150 tobacco users covered by the state health plan. ERS board members were told at an August meeting the agency "will depend on members to certify that they use tobacco. A special campaign will be conducted this fall to communicate the tobacco information."

The special campaign was held, and the sign-ups began. But somehow, as of mid-January, only 20,460 state employees or retirees or their covered dependents were signed up. That's 53,690 short of the projection. . . .

I like the A to Q12, which asks, "What if my doctor says I can't quit?" Lucky you. You can keep enjoying tobacco without paying the additional premium if you can find a doc to declare you have "an uncontrolled health factor, such as nicotine addiction." . . .

So please, dear state employees, fess up if you use tobacco. Don't make us have to come around and take photos outside the front door during smoke breaks.

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• TERPELUK: Why we won't hire smokers  

Forty percent of all premature deaths are due to forces within our control, such as obesity, sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary choices. One factor, however, rises above all of those — smoking. . . .

does it make sense to support a habit that leads to disease, disability and death?

At Cleveland Clinic, we don't believe so.

That's why we adopted a smoke-free campus in 2005 and why, in 2007, we went further, deciding to no longer hire smokers. . . .

If that sounds harsh to some, consider that cigarette smoke contains hundreds of chemicals and compounds that are toxic and at least 69 that cause cancer. These chemicals travel throughout the body, wreaking havoc in the form of inflammation, cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease and a weakened immune system.

To ignore this would be to undermine our commitment to health and wellness, which includes providing a healthy environment for our employees, visitors and patients. Plus, the policy has not proved to be an overwhelming obstacle for job applicants. Since it was instituted, less than 2% of job offers — about 300 out of 20,000 — have been rescinded due to positive nicotine tests.

At Cleveland Clinic, we have a unique perspective on the burden of chronic disease. We not only treat disease, but we also play a vital role in educating patients and employees about lifestyle choices. It is only right to practice what we preach.

Banning smoking and smokers is a crucial part of that, and part of a broader theme that includes banning transfats, offering free gym memberships, removing sugar-laden drinks from campus vending machines, and rewarding employees who make healthy decisions with lower insurance premiums.

Ultimately, such efforts will allow Cleveland Clinic to be a model of healthy living, as we strive to shift the national focus from providing "sick" care to promoting "health" care.

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• Editorial: Not hiring smokers crosses privacy line  

Baylor Health Care System, one of the Dallas area's largest employers, has taken several savvy steps in its fight against smoking. . . . Treating smoking, in essence, like illegal drug use takes Baylor and an increasing number of other employers down a dangerous road, one that extends far too deeply into the private lives of prospective workers. . . .

At least health care providers can assert that the bans are related to their medical missions. But what about other companies? Scotts Co., which makes lawn and garden supplies, made headlines in 2006 when it was sued by a new hire who was fired after testing positive for nicotine; Scotts' policy was upheld by a federal court in Boston. Atlanta-based Georgia Power stopped hiring smokers in 2009.

Even the Hollywood Casino in Toledo, Ohio, set to open this year, tells smokers they need not apply for employment. This means House Speaker John Boehner, a smoker who is second in line to the presidency, couldn't get a job at a casino in his home state.

In a nation where 55% of workers get their insurance through their employers, and where employers' insurance costs have more than doubled in just a decade, companies have ample reason to cut costs and keep employees healthy. They also deserve great latitude in hiring, which makes legislation problematic. But intruding this deeply into people's private lives raises questions that bear scrutiny.

Companies can charge smokers more for health coverage or ban smoking on the job. But punishing people for using a legal product on their own time crosses a troubling line.

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For casino workers, smoking is no dice  

Ameet Patel, general manager of the Hollywood Casino Columbus, said applicants who test positive for nicotine will be disqualified, and workers will be subject to random tests during employment.

Penn National’s policy will mean no tobacco use on or off the job for its 3,200 workers, and Ohio’s indoor smoking ban means customers will have to step outside before lighting up.

Penn National is joining the ranks of thousands of companies and hospitals that refuse to hire smokers in the hope of curbing medical costs and encouraging a healthier work force.

Patel, a 22-year veteran of the casino world, called it an unusual if not unprecedented step in an industry where a vast majority of customers are smokers. “It is a very, very big change,” he said.

The Toledo and Columbus casinos will be the only two of Penn’s 21 properties that ban tobacco use among employees, Patel said.

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Should ‘unofficial' smoking areas be allowed? 

In several organisations, there are unofficial smoking zones despite the ban on smoking in workplaces. In many, ironically, these zones also display the 'No Smoking Area - Smoking here is an offence' sign prominently.

Someone in the top rungs of one such organisation notes that since there are several smokers in the company -- and exiting the premises to smoke and return would entail a lot of time -- the unofficial smoking areas (on the staircase, behind the building, etc.) help. He contends that they are harmless, as long as they are located away from non-smokers.

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Two new casinos in Ohio say they won't hire smokers 

Smokers won't be hired at new casinos in Columbus and Toledo, a ban that's been adopted in other industries as employers try to hold down health care costs.

Job applicants for 3,200 positions at the two casinos being developed by Penn National Gaming Inc. will not be considered if they smoke, chew tobacco or use nicotine patches, according to the company.

Applicants will be screened, and any testing positive for nicotine will be disqualified. Random nicotine testing will be done on workers after they are employed, but the policy on that phase is still being developed, Bob Tenenbaum, Penn National's Ohio spokesman, told The Associated Press.

Ohio state law prohibits any smoking in public places, including casinos, but Penn National's policy will mean its Ohio casino workers will not be allowed to use tobacco on or off the job.

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• From Smoke-Free To Smoker-Free Workplaces ($$) 

it should come as no surprise that smoking has risen to the top of the “to do” list for many human resource departments in the New Year.

Following the lead of several large hospital systems, a variety of employers are now contemplating the bold decision to ban the hiring of smokers. Citing a multitude of reasons to implement such policies, ranging from reduced healthcare costs to the personal aspirations of executives, this shift — from smoke-free to smoker-free — has prompted sharp debate regarding employers’ perceived intrusion into the private lives of employees.

The transition to a smoker-free workplace is fraught with a variety of legal and practical obstacles. In addition to a striking body of federal law that imposes a veritable minefield of potential liability for the intrepid employer, many individual states have legislation on the books that prevent employer scrutiny of smoking habits.

The following discussion is intended to address a few of the federal laws employers should consider in the uncharted territory of smoker-free workplaces.

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MILSTONE: Smoking: Focus on workers quitting, not a hiring ban  

The idea that businesses should not hire tobacco users may look good on paper, but it doesn't provide a solution to the larger issue: ending addiction to a deadly substance.

A Jan. 12 article in The Tennessean, "More employers refuse to hire tobacco users," reported on the growing trend . . .

Larger companies should consider contacting the American Lung Association about developing a series of on-site "Freedom from Smoking" classes in the workplace.

I believe a company's tobacco policy must recognize that we're dealing with tobacco dependency, a powerful addiction that threatens the health of the individual and, yes, contributes to rising health-care costs in Tennessee. We don't solve this by being exclusionary; we solve this tobacco crisis by developing proven, benevolent cessation programs that help Tennesseans live a healthier, better life.

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• Smokers not eligible for jobs in some Ohio casinos 

Job seekers who smoke, chew tobacco or even use nicotine patches won't be considered for the 3,200 casino jobs in Toledo and Columbus when Penn National starts filling positions later this year.

Hollywood Casino Columbus General Manager Ameet Patel said applicants who test positive for nicotine will be disqualified and workers will be subject to random tests during employment.

Penn National's policy will mean no tobacco use on or off the job for their 3,200 workers and Ohio's indoor smoking ban means customers will have to step outside before lighting up.

Penn National is joining the ranks of thousands of companies and hospitals that refuse to hire smokers in the hopes of curbing medical costs and encouraging a healthier workforce.

Patel, a 22-year veteran of the casino world, called it an unusual if not unprecedented step in an industry where a vast majority of customers are smokers. "It is a very, very big change," he said.

The Toledo and Columbus casinos will be the only two of Penn's 21 properties that ban tobacco use among employees, Patel said.

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VIDEO: Markell's planned smoking ban elicits some grumblings 

Charles Young, a 37-year smoker who quit seven months ago, doubts Gov. Jack Markell's planned ban on smoking outside state office buildings will have the desired effect of getting employees to kick the habit.

As with any form of prohibition, Young said, "they're going to do it anyway."

Still, the Division of Revenue employee recognizes the potential savings to taxpayers.

"I know since I quit, I'm more productive because I'm not out here smoking," said Young, who works in the Carvel State Building in downtown Wilmington, where dozens of workers huddle outside the entrances throughout the day to light up on their 15-minute breaks.

Markell is targeting their habit in his quest to slow the growing $1 billion annual health care bill for state workers, retirees and Medicaid recipients. Combined, they make up 40 percent of the state's population.

But the planned smoking ban, which can be implemented without a change in law, is already generating grumblings among state employees who smoke.

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• Company makes smoking employees work longer hours 

A company in Carinthia, Austria is making its smoking employees work longer hours. The car supplier, Mahle are demanding that smokers sign in and out of their cigarette breaks and make the time up at the end of the day.

The company reportedly loses around one million Euros every year as a result of the regular smoking breaks taken by their employees. Those who go to smoke outside of the official break time are now checked in and out of the building.

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• Secondhand tobacco smoke: an occupational hazard for smoking and non-smoking bar and nightclub employees 

Background

In the absence of comprehensive smoking bans in public places, bars and nightclubs have the highest concentrations of secondhand tobacco smoke, posing a serious health risk for workers in these venues.

Objective

To assess exposure of bar and nightclub employees to secondhand smoke, including non-smoking and smoking employees.

Methods

Between 2007 and 2009, the authors recruited approximately 10 venues per city and up to five employees per venue in 24 cities in the Americas, Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. Air nicotine concentrations were measured for 7 days in 238 venues. . . .

Conclusions

Occupational exposure to secondhand smoke, assessed by air nicotine, resulted in elevated concentrations of hair nicotine among non-smoking and smoking bar and nightclub employees. The high levels of airborne nicotine found in bars and nightclubs and the contribution of this exposure to employee hair nicotine concentrations support the need for legislation measures that ensure complete protection from secondhand smoke in these venues.

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Cop fired for violating city's non-smoking policy 

NEWBERN, Tenn. -- A Tennessee police department says it has fired an officer after 17 years on the force because he repeatedly smoked cigarettes inside the precinct in violation of the city's no smoking policy.

Newbern police Sgt. James Bishop was terminated last week. A 2007 city policy prohibits smoking inside all municipal offices and buildings. . . .

Dunivant said he continued to get complaints about Bishop smoking indoors and was forced to fire him.

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Newbern police officer fired for repeatedly smoking in police precinct  

A Newbern Police officer of 17 years was terminated from his position at the Newbern Police Department last week for allegedly smoking repeatedly inside the precinct despite warnings.

Sgt. James Bishop was terminated from his position as sergeant for violation of Newbern's No Smoking policy. The State Gazette obtained a copy of Bishop's termination letter, which Newbern Police Chief Harold Dunivant sent to Bishop.

In the letter, Dunivant states under the city's no-smoking policy, smoking is prohibited in all municipal offices and buildings, which includes the police department. . . .

"Under the circumstances, I am forced to conclude that your continued violation of both the no smoking policy, and my several warnings and admonitions, constitutes willful and intentional work related misconduct under the city's personnel policy and state law, which justify the termination of your employment," stated Dunivant in the letter to Bishop.

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ClearWay Minnesota(SM) Board Approves $1.8 Million for Research Grants  

At its meeting on January 18, ClearWay Minnesota's Board of Directors approved three grants for new research. The organization will award more than $1.8 million to Minnesota researchers through these grants.

"Science is the backbone of our work at ClearWay Minnesota," said Chief Executive Officer David Willoughby. "The research funded by these grants has the potential to improve the efforts of our organization, and those of others, to reduce the devastating harm tobacco causes the people of Minnesota."

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