No Smoking: Century Considering Tobacco Free Policy

March 19, 2015

The Town of Century is looking at the possibility of a tobacco-free policy for employees in their hiring process.

Mayor Freddie McCall said, that besides the obvious health benefits, a tobacco free town could lead to savings on the town’s employee health insurance rates.

Escambia County adopted a tobacco free policy in 2008, and the Escambia County School Board implemented such a policy in 2010. The school district policy defines tobacco as any product that includes tobacco intended or expected for human use or consumption, including lighted or unlighted cigarettes, cigars, pipes or any other smoking product, chewing tobacco or snuff. The policy applies to tobacco in any form, including lozenges, strips and pouches.

If a tobacco free policy is implemented in Century, McCall said an effort will be made to provide smoking cessation products to town employees through a non-profit program.

Comments

14 Responses to “No Smoking: Century Considering Tobacco Free Policy”

  1. Don on March 23rd, 2015 6:44 pm

    And I have to agree with Molino Mom on this one. Why pick on tobacco users? And where will this infringement on personal rights end?

  2. Mark T on March 21st, 2015 4:29 pm

    Next it’ll be how over weight or what you can eat… So all you anti smoking people just wait your day is coming !

  3. Just saying on March 20th, 2015 10:05 am

    I sat here reading these comments, how ridiculous some of them are. I think they just comment because they can. I once many years ago was a smoker and I gave them up. They do stink and are really bad for you and everyone else around you. Please if you smoke don’t stand near the door where people come in and out, it stinks. Even when I did smoke, I would go way, away from the building. Because I didn’t want to offend anyone. At Century City Hall that is where they go, the front door. Please at least go to your car or else where. Most companies have this rule.

  4. No Excuses on March 20th, 2015 8:51 am

    I don’t think that legal activities outside of work should be curtailed by an employer, and I’m surprised someone has not sued before now on this policy. At work, smoking can and is prohibited in many places of business. However, my home is my home and I have the right to do what I want, if it’s legal, smoking included.

    I do not smoke, but I can also see why some businesses want this policy. When I was in the public school system as a teacher, the smokers spent most of their planning periods getting that nicotine fix, outside. Then, they’d do what they would normally do during their planning periods while they had students in the classroom, and that included sending students to my classroom to use the copier (and disrupting my class in the process), instead of doing those activities when they should have – their planning periods.

    Common sense could avoid much of the angst that goes along with smoking at work if people would only exercise it!

  5. David on March 20th, 2015 6:06 am

    Businesses should not be allowed to discriminate against people for what they do on their own dime and their own time.

  6. BT on March 19th, 2015 11:51 pm

    JCarnley,

    I don’t think it’s the smoking policy that’s keeping people from working in Century.

  7. Tired on March 19th, 2015 8:14 pm

    As long as tobacco is legal it is discrimination to not hire someone who smokes. I also think that there should be designated areas for people who smoke. I do not smoke.

  8. Mark T on March 19th, 2015 5:51 pm

    Government telling you what you can and can’t do. COMMUNISM

  9. Molino Mom on March 19th, 2015 3:21 pm

    Smoking? What about drinking alcohol and overeating? Shoot, even doing dangerous things such as skydiving and driving race cars will increase ones insurance premium. So to be fair the town must not hire a smoker, a drinker, an overeater, an overweight person, someone who has a dangerous hobby… I do not smoke, drink, or have dangerous hobbies, but I’m overweight. My sister’s health insurance is cheaper because I am overweight and she is not. The reason I am fat is because I eat too much of the wrong stuff. Does it really stop with smoking?

  10. JCarnley on March 19th, 2015 12:49 pm

    With the limited number of people available to fill positions does the savings on the insurance override the possibilities for hefty fines from DEP and other regulatory agencies if a position is not filled? Do we have a certified drinking water and waste water operator yet in Century? Although this does sound like a great practice I prefer want to keep my water clean and safe flowing in and out and never want the city to be bankrupt.by fines if our worker pool is limited. I would encourage healthy habits for employees but may not limit my choices. It may not be worth it in the overall picture.

  11. Bama on March 19th, 2015 7:12 am

    totally agree with Darlene ,, I do not smoke ,but if a person so wishs that is their choice,, I do agree though a higher insurance policy to the smokers to cover the affects from it ,, People are getting stupid with this anti smoking ,, If you want to kill yourself puff by puff then so be it,, just take it out doors,,
    I will also say this I do not believe a parent should be allowed to smoke in a house or closed car with little kids,,, I say remove the seat belt law and ad that one,
    P S Darlene I have known you since you were a small nat ,, I love you please give them up, My heart would break had to see you with cancer as I had ( Hint)wanna go skating

  12. Henry Coe on March 19th, 2015 5:08 am

    What is a tobacco lozenge? Are cough lozenges banned also? What about Lifesavors and Lollipops?

  13. Robert on March 19th, 2015 5:06 am

    This isn’t an attempt to get people to not smoke at work but is basically saying if you smoke we don’t want you to work for us, even if you are trying to quit. I’m a smoker and agree with this policy.

  14. Darlene Huss on March 19th, 2015 3:29 am

    I smoke. My choice. Might not be the right one, but it’s my life. I agree with NO SMOKING IN BUSINESSES. GO outside on your break or lunch. That’s my opinion and we all have one.