Should all workplaces be smoke-free?
April 26, 2011 by Fred HosierPosted in: Illnesses, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, New safety statistics, What do you think?, Worker health
PDF As part of a public health initiative, the federal government is calling on all states to enact laws that prohibit smoking in all indoor business areas to protect workers’ health.
To assess where the U.S. is now on this goal, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reviewed state laws restricting smoking.
As of Dec. 31, 2010:
- 25 states and the District of Columbia have laws that prohibit smoking in businesses, restaurants and bars
- 10 states had laws that prohibit smoking in one or two, but not all three, of the categories (businesses, restaurants, bars)
- 8 states had less restrictive laws (allowing smoking in designated areas or areas with separate ventilation), and
- 7 states had no statewide smoking restrictions for businesses, restaurants or bars.
Delaware was the first state with a ban in all three categories in 2002. Michigan, Kansas, Wisconsin and South Dakota enacted comprehensive bans in 2010.
These states have no smoking restrictions: Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Why have the bans? Because in 2006, during the Bush administration, the Surgeon General reported that no level of exposure to secondhand smoke is risk-free, and the only way to eliminate involuntary exposure is to completely eliminate smoking in all indoor areas.
The CDC says even in the states with bans for businesses, bars and restaurants, protections for workers could be extended. For example, casino workers are heavily exposed to secondhand smoke on the job. New Jersey bans smoking in businesses, bars and restaurants, but allows smoking in designated areas in casinos.
What do you think? Should states ban smoking in all businesses? Or do you think if smoke in the workplace causes an employee problems, the person should find another job? Let us know what you think in the Comments Box below.
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Tags: casinos, CDC, secondhand smoke, state smoking laws
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May 2nd, 2011 at 11:54 am
If the government can ban peanut butter sandwiches from my kids’ school, why would we not ban carcinogen generators from public places?
May 3rd, 2011 at 11:44 am
Either provide proper enclosed & ventilated areas for smoking or ban it in businesses all together! I work in a factory that has “designated smoking areas” in the canteens but all it amounts to is smokers sit in one end of area and non-smokers at the other. Smoke permeates the whole room and part of the production areas in plant. I don’t agree mandating taverns, bars, private clubs etc. Let them make that choice. You have the option if you want to frequent that establishment.
May 3rd, 2011 at 12:51 pm
Smoking should be banned in businesses, restaurants and bars.
May 3rd, 2011 at 12:58 pm
The businesses should be able to decide for themselves, there is far to much goverment control already. what if a small business has a majority of employees that smoke. then those who didn’t smoke could work somewhere else. I would agree with smoking bans indoors where the public would be exposed. and today i believe most smokers are very aware of the second hand smoke and would not expose people who didn’t smoke anyway.
May 4th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
So using Mr. Blevins logic: my choice when it comes to working at a small business with smokers is take the job and be exposed to second hand smoke in order to feed my family or not take the job and be unemployed (in this economy are we assuming there are enough jobs for one to pick and choose?)
Smoking on the job should not be an option, nor being exposed to second hand smoke at a bar (sure I can go somewhere else to drink, but what about the bartender or cocktail waitress? Bartenders have rates of lung cancer higher than firefighters, coal miners, duct workers and dry cleaners.)