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May 12, 2014 by Dianne Shaddock Leave a Comment

Incorporating E-Cigarettes Into Your Workplace Smoking Policies

Incorporating E-Cigarettes Into Your Workplace Smoking Policies

With the raised consciousness over the last several years about the health affects of second hand smoke, including lung cancer and cardiovascular disease, many companies, particularly in the U.S. have instituted smoking bans or designated smoking areas in the workplace.

Enter the electronic cigarette; battery-charged tobacco cigarette look-a-likes designed to be used as a replacement for ‘real' cigarettes. E-cigarettes contain nicotine which is inhaled through a device that looks like a regular cigarette and are becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to tobacco. Users of e-cigarettes do not consider themselves ‘smoking’  but ‘vaping’.

There are currently no legal restrictions on the use of e-cigarettes in the workplace so employers are free to create their own policies. But for many employers, creating policies may not be an easy exercise – partly because e-cigarettes are not officially classified as traditional cigarettes by regulatory bodies. 

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Proponents of these alternative cigarettes argue that the device helps smokers quit traditional cigarettes and that secondhand smoke is not an issue. Advocates add that employers can actually save money by allowing their workers to ‘vape’ at work thus eliminating smoking breaks.

Opponents counter that e-cigarette vapors contain known carcinogens which put the users' health at risk. Furthermore, use of e-cigarettes in the workplace would essentially go against many company's existing no smoking policies.

So what should employers do?

First – decide what your company position is on the use of e-cigarettes.

Second – If you decide to include e-cigarettes as part of your company's ‘no smoking' policy, update your policy to clearly identify your restrictions relating to e-cigarettes.

For help with drafting or updating policies, review the guide Regulating Electronic Cigarettes and Similar Devices published by the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium.


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Dianne Shaddock

President and Founder at Easy Small Business HR
Get more tips on interviewing, hiring, managing and engaging your employees. Dianne Shaddock is the President of Easy Small Business HR, Employee Hiring and Managing Tips and the author of the eGuides, "How To Supervise:  What Your Boss Never Told You Before You Took the Job", A Step-By-Step Guide For New and Seasoned Managers and "How To Find and Hire the Best Employees".
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Filed Under: Managing Employees, Policies and Procedures, Recruitment/Interviewing/Hiring, Supervisor Tips and Strategies Tagged With: HR Tips, Smoking E-Cigarettes in the workplace, smoking policies

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