Hospital Will No Longer Hire Smokers

[Yummymedic05]

I am a smoker, yet still productive. While all the fat cows...err...obese employees are grazing....err snacking in the cafe, I am out behind the hospital, in a tinted "cage", smoking.

I agree once they ban it, employees will smoke anywhere, all ashtrays have been gotten rid of, therefore there's going to be cigarette butts all over the place.

I think it's one thing to be able to control what happens at the workplace, hence making a smoking ban. But attempting to control what happens at home, hence testing for nicotine in the urine.....ridiculous!

[Dustdevil]

I think it's one thing to be able to control what happens at the workplace, hence making a smoking ban. But attempting to control what happens at home, hence testing for nicotine in the urine.....ridiculous!

Not really. You said yourself that the smokers will continue to smoke despite the ban. They can't be trusted to obey the policy. Therefore, this is how they plan to keep the cigarette butts from showing up all over the place. Nobody smokes. Nobody leaves butts.

[katbemeEMT-B]

I too smoke and while it is an ADDICTION I wish I had never picked up, it's there. I am however, very productive at work and I don't call in sick, I actually pick up extra shifts for many other co-workers who do not smoke. They are constantly sick. Any of my illnesses are not caused by smoking, (ie: rheumatoid arthritis, migraines, and most recently removal of my gall bladder due to it's lack of function). I don't smoke while at work so my co-workers are not subjected to it. My employer has a no smoking on campus policy but will tell new employees that if they need to smoke, they must do it in their cars where they can not be seen by patients. Hmmm, then they smell like smoke. What I do after work is my business not my employers as long as it is legal. If I want to smoke that's my business. If I want to go to strip bars, again, my business. If I want to part-take in an orgy--my business. There is too much government control in todays world. Soon we will no longer be the land of the free, but the land of the dictated too. It's time to go back to the Constitution and the basic rights of the people.

Just my opinion.

[Dustdevil]

There is too much government control in todays world. Soon we will no longer be the land of the free, but the land of the dictated too. It's time to go back to the Constitution and the basic rights of the people.

You work for the government? :?

[katbemeEMT-B]

City government, yes. But the state and federal governments are trying to control every aspect of our lives. In the state of Minnesota they just recently passed a state wide smoking ban. I can live with that although I feel it should be left up to the individual business owner. They know where their revenue is coming from and who they should be catering to be it smokers or non-smokers. Some businesses are going to be hurt by the ban. I know several bars in my hometown will be. You don't find very many non-smokers who just sit in a bar all night and drink. They stop for one and go home. But they also want to attach to it a bill that would make it illegal to smoke in your car when you have non-smokers in it and also your house. Sounds unconstitutional to me. Until the government pays for said car and house they have no right to tell me that I can't smoke in it. Where and when will it end?

[Dooger]

...Some businesses are going to be hurt by the ban. I know several bars in my hometown will be. You don't find very many non-smokers who just sit in a bar all night and drink. They stop for one and go home...

Sorry... going to have to call foul on that one.

Our city, and others before and after, believed the same misconception prior to enforcing a public smoking ban. What actually happened was the opposite. Although there was a brief decline in revenue (and I mean brief), business after the ban actually increased... without exception.

[katbemeEMT-B]

Sorry... going to have to call foul on that one.

Our city, and others before and after, believed the same misconception prior to enforcing a public smoking ban. What actually happened was the opposite. Although there was a brief decline in revenue (and I mean brief), business after the ban actually increased... without exception.

And I can argue that several cities have already tried it here. While eating establishments rebounded, some bars did not. Several ended up closing due to a steep decline in revenue. With a much higher tax on alchohol than on food, it would not be wise to impose this ban on bars. The revenue to the state alone could be detrimential during a time when our state is already struggling.

[chaser]

...The clinic announced Monday that it will no longer hire tobacco users, saying the hospital is setting an example for its patients.

"To set the example for the health care industry and to really live by their words of -- that we're trying to advise our patients ...

What an unattainable goal to set. In every aspect, on every guideline? Doubtful. If they do, I would love to see the hiring guidelines. And how many clinic staff are going to be let go due to these infractions?

[katbemeEMT-B]

I pose this question, what about alchoholics? They are far less productive than a smoker and their addiction DOES interfere with their work. Why don't companies go after them? Or drug users? These companies have to tread very lightly when imposing this new rule as to include these things or they could get sued. I know there is a health insurance company I believe out of NY that imposed a no tobacco use policy back several years ago and did get sued. It was revised to include drugs and alchohol use and had to accomidate for assisting in the healthier life style of the over weight.

[chaser]

... just like masturbation...

LOL, just saw this. Didn't know that was a problem in the workplace. Guess it depends where you work.

...Not even in the same ballpark.

Yep.