Posted: Wednesday, January 26, 2005
By Michael Moretti
The new year has seen two instances of smoking restrictions going further than ever before. As lovers of the leaf are being banished from the indoors worldwide, in some places in the United States they are even being pushed around outdoors and, in one instance, smoking cost several people their job.
The San Francisco city legislature voted 8-3 on Tuesday to prohibit smoking in virtually all public spaces, including parks and squares. Those caught taking a puff in the fresh-air areas would be fined up to $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second and $500 for each additional violation.
The ban in the city would follow on the heels of similar bans enacted in other California municipalities such as Santa Monica, Pasadena, Santa Cruz and Beverly Hills.
The ordinance on public smoking, which is expected to be signed by Mayor Gavin Newsom, would go into effect on July 1.
By that time, "No Smoking" signs will have been put up in the designated public areas. Well-known tourist destinations, public golf courses and federal lands would be the only areas where tobacco users could still enjoy a cigar or cigarette.
Halfway across the country, in Okemos, Michigan, four people lost their job as a result of smoking. Health care company Weyco Inc. has enacted a company policy prohibiting its employees from smoking, not just on company premises or during work hours, but at home and away from work as well.
On January 1, the policy was instituted, allowing tobacco-using employees to be fired. To enforce the policy, the company has instituted unannounced random tests.
First, selected employees are required to submit a breath sample. If they test positive, the employees are subject to disciplinary action, which includes unpaid suspension for a minimum of five days and termination with the second offense.
Four employees refused to take the tests and were fired. The company points to concerns over employee health and rising health care costs as reasons behind its decision to adopt the smoking prohibition.
According to a company release, the action is part of an effort to promote healthy living, which it began establishing five years ago. The tobacco-free policy went into effect in 2003, which included smoking-cessation classes for tobacco users. The company estimates that at the time the policy was implemented, 15 to 20 of its approximately 200 employees were smokers. As many as 14 of the smokers gave up the habit before the policy went into effect.
