Wow!
It’s been a little over a month since my last blog and boy have things changed and not for the good.
As I had postulated in the end of my last blog my employer went with the "Health Canada states that ......." crutch. No investigation, no questions asked of me or other vapers in our widening circle, totally closed door.
A company-wide memorandum was issued in mid-October. What’s horrible is that they focused on “[e-cigs] may pose health risks and have not been fully evaluated for safety, quality and efficacy by Health Canada…. ” angle. Here is the memorandum;
It has been brought to our attention that some staff may be using electronic smoking products in the workplace. As outlined in the attached Health Canada Advisory released in March 2009 these products have not received approval under the Food and Drugs Act.
Health Canada is advising Canadians not to purchase or use electronic smoking products as they may pose health risks and have not been fully evaluated for safety, quality and efficacy by Health Canada.
Based on the information from Health Canada employees are to refrain from using any form of electronic cigarette or smoking product in the workplace. Should you require support for smoking cessation please contact your health care provider. You may also access the Employee Assistance or through the Wellness portal. A copy of the EAP Smoking Cessation Services is also attached.
If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with human resources.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Realistically, I knew that it was coming to this, so I started vaping only outside with all my old smoking pals well before this directive was issued. Not much point in pissing management off. Not much point in fighting them on this. The only way to fight this is simply unattainable given that our government has reclassified liquid nicotine from a tobacco product to a drug. To get a license to sell e-liquid with nicotine you would need the deep pockets of big-pharma. Just to be sure that no one can sell these products (legally) in Canada, our ‘vaping devices’ must now therefore pass certification as ’medical devises’ if they are used to deliver nicotine. Health Canada graciously points the way to the process to apply but you need to be a constitutional lawyer just muddle through the introduction to the process! Don`t get me started!
But here is the really bad part about becoming an outspoken supporter of vaping, at least in my workplace. I became the ANTZ (anti this and anti that, you know the types) whipping boy! I`ve had five complaints filed against me that have led to two disciplinary hearings for vaping in the office in the last two weeks. Even though I hadn`t vaped in the office for weeks before this directive. The ANTZ were out in their sickening attempts to punish me, or in some cases trying to get time off for having been exposed to a banned substance and all fueled by ignorance.
I have been harassed incessantly. I have people walking by my cubicle all day long sniffing the air. My cubicle is off the beaten path, you have to go out of your way to be there. My co-workers in my unit have stopped talking to me …. Like I wasn’t even there! The atmosphere has become rotten. So rotten, that I`m not sleeping well, I`m popping Zantac like I had shares in the company and I`m looking over my shoulder constantly waiting for another false accusation to come flying at the back of my head. It`s brutal!
I just can`t stand this ignorance. For almost three months no one took noticed. Hey it was cool that there was hope for tobacco addicts, there was a safer alternative, for all involved. Smokers and non-smokers alike.
Now I`ve got a target on my back. What am I supposed to do when just about anyone can say that they saw me vaping in the office and it`s my word against theirs and management entertains them all. This is bull.....
It’s been a little over a month since my last blog and boy have things changed and not for the good.
As I had postulated in the end of my last blog my employer went with the "Health Canada states that ......." crutch. No investigation, no questions asked of me or other vapers in our widening circle, totally closed door.
A company-wide memorandum was issued in mid-October. What’s horrible is that they focused on “[e-cigs] may pose health risks and have not been fully evaluated for safety, quality and efficacy by Health Canada…. ” angle. Here is the memorandum;
It has been brought to our attention that some staff may be using electronic smoking products in the workplace. As outlined in the attached Health Canada Advisory released in March 2009 these products have not received approval under the Food and Drugs Act.
Health Canada is advising Canadians not to purchase or use electronic smoking products as they may pose health risks and have not been fully evaluated for safety, quality and efficacy by Health Canada.
Based on the information from Health Canada employees are to refrain from using any form of electronic cigarette or smoking product in the workplace. Should you require support for smoking cessation please contact your health care provider. You may also access the Employee Assistance or through the Wellness portal. A copy of the EAP Smoking Cessation Services is also attached.
If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with human resources.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Realistically, I knew that it was coming to this, so I started vaping only outside with all my old smoking pals well before this directive was issued. Not much point in pissing management off. Not much point in fighting them on this. The only way to fight this is simply unattainable given that our government has reclassified liquid nicotine from a tobacco product to a drug. To get a license to sell e-liquid with nicotine you would need the deep pockets of big-pharma. Just to be sure that no one can sell these products (legally) in Canada, our ‘vaping devices’ must now therefore pass certification as ’medical devises’ if they are used to deliver nicotine. Health Canada graciously points the way to the process to apply but you need to be a constitutional lawyer just muddle through the introduction to the process! Don`t get me started!
But here is the really bad part about becoming an outspoken supporter of vaping, at least in my workplace. I became the ANTZ (anti this and anti that, you know the types) whipping boy! I`ve had five complaints filed against me that have led to two disciplinary hearings for vaping in the office in the last two weeks. Even though I hadn`t vaped in the office for weeks before this directive. The ANTZ were out in their sickening attempts to punish me, or in some cases trying to get time off for having been exposed to a banned substance and all fueled by ignorance.
I have been harassed incessantly. I have people walking by my cubicle all day long sniffing the air. My cubicle is off the beaten path, you have to go out of your way to be there. My co-workers in my unit have stopped talking to me …. Like I wasn’t even there! The atmosphere has become rotten. So rotten, that I`m not sleeping well, I`m popping Zantac like I had shares in the company and I`m looking over my shoulder constantly waiting for another false accusation to come flying at the back of my head. It`s brutal!
I just can`t stand this ignorance. For almost three months no one took noticed. Hey it was cool that there was hope for tobacco addicts, there was a safer alternative, for all involved. Smokers and non-smokers alike.
Now I`ve got a target on my back. What am I supposed to do when just about anyone can say that they saw me vaping in the office and it`s my word against theirs and management entertains them all. This is bull.....
