Smoking - This is just WRONG!?

Question

Okay I fully support the smoking ban but this is just ridiculous and discrimination!! don't you think?
Cleveland Clinic bans hiring of smokers
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Clinic, which has targeted fatty foods at its lunch counters and scooted smokers away from its buildings and sidewalks, now will ban the hiring of anyone who smokes.
The move is part of a healthy work force initiative that included the appointment Thursday of Dr. Michael Roizen, author of a series of best-selling books on making healthy lifestyles, as the first chief wellness officer of the research hospital.

Beginning Sept. 1, Ohio’s second-biggest employer with 36,300 employees will no longer hire smokers. The policy will not affect current employees, who can get free stop-smoking help from the clinic. Prospective employees will be tested for tobacco use along with drugs.

The ban is “essentially a challenge to every other major health-care organization that we want them to focus on wellness as well as illness too,” Roizen said Wednesday.

The step comes after the clinic removed trans fats from its cafeteria menus and sugar-sweetened beverages from its vending machines.

Rick Wade, a spokesman for the American Hospital Association, said since virtually all hospitals ban smokers from their buildings and banning the hiring of smokers was the next logical step.

Other employers also are taking steps to get employees to stop smoking.

Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. based in Marysville, Ohio, near Columbus, stopped hiring smokers last year and ordered employees who do smoke to quit.

Answer 1

Does it really surprise you though that its come to this? As someone who's worked in hospitals (not patient care though) for the past 5 years, I find it not surprising at all. Hospital administration seems to be becoming smoke nazis. I do definitely find it unfair. I 'casually' smoke (meaning maybe 5 cigarettes a day during the week) and actually don't even have my first of the day until I get home from work (yes, stress relief)...it in no way affects my performance, I don't go running out for smoke breaks all the time and don't expose others to a cloud of smoke constantly hanging around me (and the smell as well) and at this point, it hasn't adversely affect my health, therefore running up health care costs.

In reading some of the responses - saying this and that about health care costs...I must ask - what about sunworshippers? I was a lifelong sunworshipper until diagnosed with (mild/superficial) melanoma two years ago - had it spread and been further along, imagine what those health care costs would have been. And melanoma is being increasingly diagnosed among young adults. How about the banning of hiring anyone with a tan? Or...the obese...that's all I need to ay on that because it's been said over and over. It doesn't say anything about banning alcohol outside of work hours does it? How much damage to one's health does alcohol cause. Yes, the more I think about it...the more it sounds like CCF is being discriminatory.

Answer 2

Yes it is Wrong. Legal but very wrong.

While I don't necessarily agree with the no-hire
policy, it is tough to argue in a hospital situation.

The AHA director said "its the next logical step"...once that is taken, existing employees will be forced to quit or quit. ...and so on...

More interesting is apparently employees can't have a Coke on their break?

If ever there was an incentive to either never start or to quit smoking? laughable, I restarted because of the communists trying to take it away! Is there a lawsuit I can file against the anti-smokers for that?

Answer 3

Its already happened. I went into LL bean to apply for a job, and was told they don't hire smokers. I've also been denied housing (Not because I was smoking indoors, but because I smoke at all, even outdoors. They said there is too much of a risk I'll decide so smoke indoors, so they don't rent to smokers) There was a story about a man in delaware that was fired because a urine test showed nicotine. He was smoking at home, on his own time, and was (legally) fired for it. I believe they cite health care costs as the reason.


I can understand (though I don't like it) a no smoking policy at the actual buisness. Thats they're perogitive. How long is it going to be before drinking is illegal agian, too? After all, it is harmful. Would any of you support all people who casually have a beer being fired?

You do choose to smoke, but you know what? You choose to get pregnant, too, and pregnant women take off more time and cost more in health insurance. Why not fire all pregnant women? Its a personal choice, right?


And you're right, it isn't fair. Smoking is a perfectly legal activity, and it should stay that way!

Answer 4

All of this has gone to far.......yes I am a smoker, and I agree that there shouldn't be smoking in restaurants, around hospitals, and places like that. But to not hire someone because they smoke is going a Little far. My opinion is if they want to ban smoking from all these places, then they should shut down the cigarette factories. Just because we have we have a bad habit of smoking does not make us a bad person. It does not make the next person who don't smoke any better than those who do !!! An easy way to get rid of the smoking would be to just ban cigarettes all together. Shut down the factories and let it be done with. But that's not gonna happen because they make too much tax money from them.

Answer 5

If ever there was an incentive to never start smoking or to quit if you are the smoker, there it is. It shouldn't be illegal to put those requirements in place because street drugs, alcohol and weapons are forbidden for the safety of all employees so no-smoking bans would do the same thing. If you disagree with their policy, don't work there. It's the easiest way to protest there is.

Answer 6

LETS SEE....Why can't I get a job if I smoke pot? Why should someone who smokes a very addictive and dangerous substance like tobacco be any different? Employers have always said that they don't want to have to pay for their employees bad habits. It doesn't matter that nicotine is a legal drug,it is still a dangerous drug that can be harmful to innocent bystanders. If you're outraged by employers having the right to choose workers by what drugs they do or don't do,tell your elected official that your opposed to the laws.
Pee tests for pot are legal and pot is non-toxic. Why shouldn't an employer know if a prospective employee is addicted to truly dangerous legal substances?

Answer 7

That's pure discrimination. I'm sure they're doing it to save on health insurance and because smokers supposedly take more sick days than non-smokers. But that is DISCRIMINATION. What is this world coming to???

You know, here in Delaware, all hospitals went smoke-free about 2 years ago and you can't smoke anywhere on the campus. However, the people who work there who smoke, just have to drive off campus. They didn't get fired. That is so lame!!!

In fact, I think I'll go have a cigarette on this note!!!

Answer 8

i live in cleveland.


im not gonna lie, its not a bad idea for a hospital. but if it was mcdonalds or something, thats different

Answer 9

I love it! Finally I can breath! Too bad I don't live in Cleveland....

Answer 10

while is seems extreme, this company is probably paying health benefits for their employees, so it's to their benefit if they have non smoking employees.