28 January 2005

Wow! This one surprised me - people are getting fired from their jobs, or not hired, because they smoke cigarettes.
"Employers are realizing the majority of health costs are spent on a small minority of workers," says Bill Whitmer, chief executive of the Health Enhancement Research Organization, an employer and healthcare coalition in Birmingham, Ala.

I suppose I can see both sides of it. I'm not a smoker, and smoking admittedly annoys me. I hate the stink, especially when common areas such as coat closets can't be avoided. Additionally, I hate all the extra time smokers have gotten at past jobs I've held on 'breaks,' because they just can't make it all day without a ciggy. Whatever.
On the other hand, as long as they're legal, what right does 'big brother' have to tell people what they can do on their own time.

But boy, a completely smoke-free workplace (like I have working from home now) sure would be (and is!) nice...

What do you think?

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