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No Smoking: Should tobacco use make you ineligible for a job?
Comment: Until it becomes illegal to smoke, this should be a non-issue. I don't understand how it is even legal to do such a thing with a substance that does not cause impairment and is already so severely restricted. This is discrimination based on a new social norm. from Pensacola, FL by Tracy
Comment: lowering health insurance costs to whom? the employers want to pay less for coverage and is using this scapegoat for high costs of their policies. employers will still pay the same for benefits. I believe the same prejudices are being questioned when hiring women,the possibilities of pregnancy has limited fair job placement.adnohr56@yahoo.com from milton by rhonda
Comment: popple should know that smoking .may not be good for you.but smokers pay more in taxes then none smokers . and have right to.do none smokers wont to make up the tax loss. from milton by coy
Comment: This will be excellent it will make our city a better place. Plus it wil allow for healther citzens. And it will help those that have medical issuses. from Pensacola/ FL by Cakneisha
Comment: I don't think weather you smoke or not smoke should be reason why you do not get a job. I would think this is another right taken away from us as employees that pay into the system. I am not smoker but, setting areas aside so the smoker can have a place to go have a smoke on there break. I remember when you could go take a smoke break but, if you were a non smoker you could not take that break. from Milton, FL by Susan
Comment: it has been very hard for me to get and keep insurance, it's mostly problems resulting from smoking for35 years. Anything that can be done to get people to stop smoking is great from milton,fl by betsy
Comment: No. There are far to few jobs available as it is. Many people have been addicted to tobacco products for a lot of years, as a smoker for many years I know how hard it is to kick the habit. The county should consider other alternatives. from Milton by Dan
Comment: So, what's next? If you have diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or other problems, will you be next who cannot be hired? What people do on their own time is noone else's business!! from Cantonment by Sandra
Comment: People who over eat cause just as many health problems.This country we are supposed to be able to do what we want on our own time.There will be plenty of problems if this goes through.What else could anyone expect from Pcola. everyone minds everyones business but not there own.Really the fat folks should be fired as well then they will loose some weight and might live longer and draw more social security that the goverment has spent and is broke from pace Florida by Robert
Comment: Yes that is a very good thing to make it a law. from Pensacola/FL by Mr.
Comment: Yes that is a very good thing to make it a law. from Pensacola/FL by Mr.
Comment: It is everybody's right to smoke if they want to. I can understand no smoking on county properties but if someone smokes before work and after work who is employed by the county, that is their right. What are they going to do with their current smoking employees, fire them? from Pensacola by Joseph
Comment: WHATS NEXT YOU CAN'T DRINK A GLASS OF COLD MILK ! AND THIS IS AMERICA THE LAND OF THE FREE from PENSACOLA.FL by THERESA
Comment: When I was interviewing a prospective employee, I used to ask them if they wanted a smoke...if they did, no job. from Navarre/FL by gene
Comment: Not disputing-they are bad! If they won't hire smokers they should terminate those already there. Give them the same lenghth of time to quit that those wishing to apply have. Bad but legal. Don't allow them sold in the county or benefit from associated tax dollars if they won't employ the people. What's next? Fat people have to lose weight? It would lower their blood pressure-help with diabetes. How about no dangerous sports- they don't set broken bones for free! on and on from Holt, Fl 32564 by Nelda
Comment: Gulf Power and Southern Company have had a no tobacco policy for hiring for years and it helps keep medical insurance prices down - It also keeps the stinking smell out of the buildings and cars from Cantonmnet, Fl by Steve
Comment: yes!
-it should.
people need money;therefore people need jobs;witch means people will get jobs.
and now inorder to get jobs you now need to be tobacco free. i think that this change will make escambia county a much cleaner and healthier place.(: from Gulf Breeze by Jennifer
Comment: Just another form of Discrimination. I can see many law suites coming out of this.
You can not, not hire a person because of Sex,Race,Sexual Preference or Religion, but they want to keep you from getting a job because you smoke. As far as I know Nicotine and tobacco are not an illegal substance..
Sure they can say no smoking in the work place, or so many feet from a work place. But in your car in the parking lot or at all.
The States made out like bandits when the Big Tobacco Companies paid them Millions of Dollars, but the ones that really suffered from the Killer that the tobacco companies produce get nothing. from Milton/Florida by Steven
Comment: If no smoking rule is for health insurance reasons, what about no alcohol drinkers, no over weight or handycap people. Where would it end. from Valparaiso by Edward
Comment: yeahh-they should start that noww<3.(: from GB by Janet
Comment: Government has no business regulating people's personal habits and beliefs - as long as they do not 'hurt' others. This comes into conflict with some folks desires for government provided health care. If the US goes to socialized medicine, as some demand, then a person's decision to smoke is impacting others and I would have to change my vote. from Pensacola/FL by Rick
Comment: NO, I believe people should have the right to smoke tobacco on their own times at home, in their vehicles, and outside of their jobs. I'm not a smoker and I worked with smokers. As long as my co-workers don't puff in my face, it's kool with me. They knew when to smoke and when not to smoke. Insurance should worry about the worse issues like obesity, drugs, gun shot wounds, and auto accidents that caused more deaths than smoking tobacco. from Pensacola, FL by Christian
Comment: i thought that was called discrimination or is it different because it is the county? just like always, it says that the county commissioner voted. what about the people! they should just lower the cost of insurance for the ones who don't smoke and leave the smokers alone! from pensacola florida by carissa
Comment: Using tobacco shouldn't necessarily make one ineligible for a job, but tobacco users should be required to pay much higher premiums for health insurance from Shalimar, FL by White
Comment: NO NO NO!!! Addiction is classified as a disease such as Cancer or diabetes are. Would you tell someone that you won't hire them because they have cancer or diabetes? Only if you want to pay the lawsuit that will follow. I guess Escambia County officials have more dollars than they have sense. No pun intended. from Milton/Fl by A
Comment: This is discrimination, pure and simple. Are they employing persons who drink alcohol? But even more important, obesity is the no. 1 cause of health problems, way more than smoking, they will need to fire anyone overweight too. I would file a lawsuit if I were denied a job because of a legal activity on my on time. from Milton, Fl. by Ann
Comment: For years, the city,county, state has done absolutely nothing to discourage anyone from smoking, as a matter of fact, they've encouraged it. And, they have taken all of the money from the ciggarette taxes and thrown it away on "do nothing", usless projects. Now, to come up with this prohibation, is purely discriminatory, and down right mean-spirited. from Milton FL by Lewis
Comment: You'd better be careful what you ask for! Those who agree with this are allowing more control over their personnal lives. They will keep creeping into your house, until you may need to move to Cuba to have more rights. How will you like it when you are told you can't drink champagne at your daughters wedding, alcohol causes health problems. No more fat people, being overweight is even worse than using tobacco. When you are required to diet, you will learn to fear the beast, Americans are far more addicted to food than tobacco, or even oil. Which reminds me, you could be required to walk or ride a bike to work, your car is belching out 80% of all air polution. I haven't noticed any nonsmokers giving up their cars. Go ahead, let them invade your private life, if you do, you deserve what you get. Class action lawsuit is what I smell in the air, and it has a faint odor of smoke. from milton by marc
Comment: If a smoker wants to smoke LET THEM SMOKE.... It shouldn't hinder how they work. Its the right as an american if they want to smoke let them. Just an FYI I'm not a smoker! from milton florida by Timothy
Comment: well, i would only agree with this if all substance abuse is included...if you drink alcoholic beverages everyday, one should not be eligible for the job either! alcohol should be seen in the same light as tobacco. sure the folks do not have to tolerate the secondhand smoke but these alcys do have to drive home don't they? they are more of a risk to the public than secondhand smoke! from p'cola by h
Comment: I think that you should be hired for a job for your skills and not weather you smoke or not. That is very stupid. My Mother died of colon cancer and never smoked a day in her life, what next you cant have a job if you eat fatty foods? Come on. from milton, Florida by Denise
Comment: i agree w/out a doubt. Stupid stupid stinky bad breath habit that should be illegal since it is proven to be addictive and has caused so much pain for so many that have had to deal w/a family member with lung cancer. I lost both of my parents to lung cancer. They started smoking back in the old days when it was the cool thing to do and were even provided to military during war time like chewing gum. My parents tried to quit many times but only tried to quit once they got the lung cancer death sentence, thinking they could reverse the disease. Luckily I was able to care for each parent as they were dying. I pray that you never never never have to go through what my parents and myself went through.It is a horrible way to die. from pensacola by j
Comment: HYPOCRITS! THEY ARE DRIVING DRIVING AROUND IN THEIR CARS, POLUTING THE AIR! Yet they sit on their fat rears decrying the benifits to health of not smoking. When are smokers going to have enough of this double standard? I say a good old revolt is in order. Goernment is moving in to your bedroom, even nonsmokers should be yelling about this one! from Milton by Jim
Comment: Let's get real folks. I've been a wage-earner for forty-five years now, some of which I smoked both cigarettes and a pipe; now neither. Like anything else in life, smoking is a habit (granted a nasty habit), but a habit. What's next? Asking us to cut back on our intake of oxygen to conserve? There are things certain folks come up with that are actually to stupid to justify comment. This is bordering on subliminal. I've got a suggestion: let's eliminate welfare and tell those people they have to get jobs. Either mine or yours both make about the same amount of sense. I don't see either one becoming a reality in this lifetime. from Mary Esther, FL. by Tom
Comment: Not unless you also ban alcohol drinkers, obese people, recreational drug users,etc. Fair is fair. Be consistent. from Gulf Breeze, FL by Leo
Comment: i believe the questionable premiums of employees now working will stay the same,and w the new costs of tobacco drug testing the premiums might go up,eliminating purpose for claims to save money by the county. If the prejudices against smokers is allowed why then doesnt the county claim the same pre-requisites against alcoholics? i worry more about the alcoholics still having alcohol in their systems during work hrs..esp the police dept personnel. from milton by rhonda
Comment: It is legal!!!! I think this is absolutly rediculous!!! Tobacco does not impair a person. So why would this be an issue. HEALTH INSURANCE my butt!!! I dont buy it!! Sounds like discrimenation!!! from Milton,Florida by Ramona
Comment: Its A Horrible Habit May Be Good Incentive to Quit by Todd
Comment: No, it is a legal substance, a nasty habit, I'll admit, but still legal - same as alchol from pensacola, fl by georgia
Comment: SMOKING MAY BE BAD , BUT THEY WON'T STOP THERE, NEXT IT WILL BE YOUR OVERWEIGHT, DRINK TO MUCH DRIVE TO FAST, WHERE WILL IT END? GEORGE ORWELLS 1984. from PENSACOLA by PAUL
Comment: So does it matter that I am a girl or boy or women or man? I truly believe that it is a part of discrimination just because companies have insurance issues with smokers and non-smokers. Make the employee pay the difference. from Pensacola FL by BJ
Comment: big brother from pensacola fl by gatormon
Comment: Something has to be done about tobacco. The government is only worried about the taxes they will get and not peoples health, so we can't rely on them to declare tobacco a poison. from Pace / FL by Ray
Comment: why should everyone have to pay for others health problems due to their choice? from pace by donna
Comment: No! If they make smoking an issue with a job, than they should do the same for drinking, sexual behaviors, overweight, and prescriptions drugs. from gulf breeze/florida by michael
Comment: I think its a great idea. Not only will it help people get healty, but also saves the business money. If the user doesnt like it, they can find a job somewhere else. Its the business owners right by David
Comment: Tobacco Sales Generate 12 Billion Dollars A Day In Tax Revenue.
If You Get Everyone To Quit, Will You Still Have No New Taxes?
The Money Is Going To have To Come From Somewhere.
So Maybe Your Pockets Instead Of The Smokers Pockets, You Think? from Pensacola, Fl by Van
Comment: This is ridiculas. Drinking and over eating is unhealthy also. If Escambia County will not hire smoker's then they should NOT hire people who drink or abuse their body with over eating. Come on! Get with it. This makes me so angry. It makes NO difference if a person smokes or not. Sure..smoking is not allowed in businesses but that should not prevent them from hiring people who smoke away from the business or in their own home. from Pace, Fl by D
Comment: That would be a good law. Why should non-smokers have to pay higher insurance because of smokers. Who wants to smell that god awful tobacco products on anyone all day. from Milton,Fl by Ray
Comment: I am a nurse at a local hospital and can not believe that a county is contemplating this idea when most of the residents in this county are uninsured! It seems to me that their are other issues, more important issues to deal with in this county then whether or not they hire an employee that smokes! Are you kidding me! I'm sorry I thought I lived in The United States not a Communist country! Why not clean up our environment or have schools that actually teach something these are the issues we should be discussing! from Pensacola, FL by Andrianee
Comment: no it should'nt matter what a person on there own time
what happen to america the free from crestview,fl by dana
Comment: no what people do on there own time should'nt matter whats next obama the anticrist from crestview,fl by james
Comment: This is blatant discrimination. Invasion of privacy and Big Brotherism at it's worst. Unless other health related problems are also addressed, it's a bad idea. It is also rude. from Pensacola Fl by Pam
Comment: This is crazy from laurel hill ,fl. by bonita
Comment: Butt out busy bodies! from Milton/FL by C
Comment: I am not a smoker & hate the smell of smoke. I don't think using tobacco should make you ineligible for a job BUT would make you ineligible for insurance. AND the tobacco user would have to follow the rules of NO smoking any where on the property. from Milton by Carol
Comment: this is crazy, who the hell cares! everything in the world is rising in cost, including cigerettes. those who choose to smoke, smoke just know you will pay the price later. from pensacola,fl by WENDY
Comment: I feel that as long as you do a job correctly, it should not matter if you smoke or not. The county should not have the right to do a tobacco test on new applicants, that is absolutely ridiculous! I feel that the better qualified applicant should receive the position, smoker or non. from Jay, FL by Michelle
Comment: It seems it would be unconstitutional. Neither should the taxes paid on them be used to fund the county or other projects not related to smokers health care, if that is the question about curbing healthcare costs. All taxes paid on cigarettes should be used only for the smokers' healthcare and everyone else should just shut up. from Pace/Florida by Ann
Comment: maybe some exceptions if the worker is always outside (landscape work). from mary esther, florida by allen
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