UPMC to ban employees from using tobacco and e-cigarettes during breaks (PA)

[Bill Godshall]

UPMC to ban employees from using tobacco and e-cigarettes during breaks (PA)
UPMC smoking ban to include break time - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


I sent the following to letters@post-gazette.com


Smokefree Pennsylvania congratulates UPMC for its new policy to protect
patients, visitors and workers from involuntary tobacco smoke exposures
in its facilities.

Most smokers don’t realize that they continue exhaling secondhand smoke
for more than a half hour after smoking each cigarette.

Prohibiting smoking during breaks for healthcare workers improves
patient care, and is a far more reasonable employment policy than
refusing to hire smokers, which some healthcare systems have done.

UPMC’s new policy is also legal as long as it doesn’t violate
collective bargaining agreements, which can be renegotiated.

But since smoking creates all the smoke and is 100 times more hazardous
than the use of smokefree tobacco/nicotine products, UPMC’s ban on the
use of electronic cigarettes and smokeless tobacco is an unwarranted
and counterproductive gift to Big Pharma.

FDA approved nicotine gums, lozenges and patches have a 95% failure
rate for smoking cessation, while varenicline (Chantix) increases risks
of heart attacks, depression and suicidal thoughts.

Since electronic cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products have already
helped several million smokers quit, UPMC should encourage and allow
smokers to use these smokefree alternatives as long as their usage
doesn't interfere with patient care or other job duties.

Bill Godshall
Executive Director
Smokefree Pennsylvania
1926 Monongahela Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15218
412-351-5880
smokefree@compuserve.com

 

[Bill Godshall]

I spoke to UPMC's Greg Peaslee last year about various tobacco/smoking policy options for its 35 hospitals and to reduce smoking among its 60,000 workforce. UPMC is the largest employer in western PA.

I urged him to NOT implement a tobacco free hiring ban like what's been done at Cleveland Clinic and other healthcare systems, and thankfully they didn't do that.

But I also informed Peaslee about the benefits of e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products for smokers, and urged him to limit UPMC's policy to cigarette smoking. Unfortunately, it appears that Big Pharma and their funding recipients at UPMC convinced him otherwise.

 

[2coils]

I do not agree with smoking bans while off the property on lunch. And lets not forget nurses and doctors often work 12-14 hour shifts. I understand in PA its perfectly legal. I think as Americans there has to be a line drawn in the sand, Lets not concede personal freedoms. I think this is the kind of infringement that can evolve into a way worse disaster later on.
EDIT: I almost would rather they not hire smokers than hire them and control their lives while not at work. I believe in LIVE AND LET LIVE! Sure smokers shouldn't smoke on campus etc... Lets not get carried away.

 

[2coils]

And to have smoke free alternatives applied to their policy is a disappointment.

 

[Tache]

I'm with 2coils on the break issue. It might be reasonable to put in a policy that health care workers need to wear an X.X micron mask for 30 minutes after smoking. To dictate what they can and cannot do on lunch breaks takes it too far.

 

[Petrodus]

Hi Bill
Has anyone ever written you back and thanked you
for informing them about e-cigarettes and smokeless products
stating they will lift the bans against the use
of e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products ?

 

[tinypaperweight]

I do not agree with smoking bans while off the property on lunch. And lets not forget nurses and doctors often work 12-14 hour shifts. I understand in PA its perfectly legal. I think as Americans there has to be a line drawn in the sand, Lets not concede personal freedoms. I think this is the kind of infringement that can evolve into a way worse disaster later on.
EDIT: I almost would rather they not hire smokers than hire them and control their lives while not at work. I believe in LIVE AND LET LIVE! Sure smokers shouldn't smoke on campus etc... Lets not get carried away.

Seriously. Thank you for this. When you are off property and on your own time it's NO ONES business what you are doing. Period.

 

[tommy2bad]

As far as continuing to breath second hand smoke for up to half an hour after smoking, maybe but in what concentration? A risk to others, I doubt that so on the grounds of potential risk of of reducing risk to 0 then your argument against including smokeless inhaleables is null.
Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
This kind of zero tolerance is the kind of thing we are against not in support of and as to telling someone what they can do in their own time? Give me a break. My time , my business unless it's illegal and so far smoking isn't illegal.

 

[jamie]

Hi Bill
Has anyone ever written you back and thanked you for informing them about e-cigarettes and smokeless products
stating they will lift the bans against the use of e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products ?

I'm very interested in this as well. My limited exposure, based mainly on Bill's ECF writings, indicates that all initiatives seemingly backfire badly on the Harm Reduction front (such as creating and promoting the addiction to massive and regressive vice taxes or encouraging laws/policies aimed at cigarettes that are then expanded to tobacco and nicotine). It smacks of struggling to contain the growth of a monster that one continues to feed. But again, that is my limited exposure.

 

[randyith]

I do not agree with smoking bans while off the property on lunch. And lets not forget nurses and doctors often work 12-14 hour shifts. I understand in PA its perfectly legal. I think as Americans there has to be a line drawn in the sand, Lets not concede personal freedoms. I think this is the kind of infringement that can evolve into a way worse disaster later on.
EDIT: I almost would rather they not hire smokers than hire them and control their lives while not at work. I believe in LIVE AND LET LIVE! Sure smokers shouldn't smoke on campus etc... Lets not get carried away.

For what it is worth, I agree with you 100%.

 

[AgentAnia]

Seriously, how enforceable is an ecig use ban? As long as vaping isn't observed (think: any uninhabited, enclosed space...) how are the powers that be going to know someone has vaped? Are they going to administer nicotine tests to every employee returning to campus after lunch?

And. As long as we're being vigilant about what possibly dangerous substance(s) a health-care worker may be exhaling, how about the one who has a low-grade virus? the one who comes to work even though he/she has a cold? or the one who sneezes or coughs while examining a patient?

 

[Vocalek]

I'm very interested in this as well. My limited exposure, based mainly on Bill's ECF writings, indicates that all initiatives seemingly backfire badly on the Harm Reduction front (such as creating and promoting the addiction to massive and regressive vice taxes or encouraging laws/policies aimed at cigarettes that are then expanded to tobacco and nicotine). It smacks of struggling to contain the growth of a monster that one continues to feed. But again, that is my limited exposure.

Don't feed them after midnight.

 

[Bill Godshall]

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette called me yesterday to confirm that I had sent the letter.

Today's Post-Gazette ran a generally supportive editorial of UPMC's new policy
No smoking: UPMC's new tobacco policy makes sense - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

I suspect the Post-Gazette will publish my letter within the next several days.


To those who believe that employers have no right to (or shouldn't) restrict any activities of employees when they aren't at the worksite, please let us know why you believe employees have a right (or should be allowed) to get drunk, shoot ......, drop acid and/or smoke crack just before going to work everyday?

Do you also believe that school districts shouldn't be able to fire teachers that molest children (off the job), and that the New England Patriots shouldn't have been able to fire Aaron Hernandez after he was charged with murdering someone (off the job)?

I didn't think so.

I'd be pleased to discuss the complexities involving employment policy issues involving smoking and e-cigarette use, but its not productive discussing these issues with those who believe that employers have no legal rights (or shouldn't have any legal rights) to restrict employee smoking or other activities that occur off the job, but that can impact on-the-job performance.

 

[house mouse]

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette called me yesterday to confirm that I had sent the letter.

Today's Post-Gazette ran a generally supportive editorial of UPMC's new policy
No smoking: UPMC's new tobacco policy makes sense - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

I suspect the Post-Gazette will publish my letter within the next several days.


To those who believe that employers have no right to (or shouldn't) restrict any activities of employees when they aren't at the worksite, please let us know why you believe employees have a right (or should be allowed) to get drunk, shoot ......, drop acid and/or smoke crack just before going to work everyday?

Do you also believe that school districts shouldn't be able to fire teachers that molest children (off the job), and that the New England Patriots shouldn't have been able to fire Aaron Hernandez after he was charged with murdering someone (off the job)?

I didn't think so.

I'd be pleased to discuss the complexities involving employment policy issues involving smoking and e-cigarette use, but its not productive discussing these issues with those who believe that employers have no legal rights (or shouldn't have any legal rights) to restrict employee smoking or other activities that occur off the job, but that can impact on-the-job performance.

All those activities you listed are criminal offenses. Since tobacco use in privacy is not a crime in any state I think that's where the distinction lies for most of those saying the companies have no rights to interfere with your unpaid time away from work. Just my opinion.

 

[xpl0it]

UPMC is notorious for being idiots and this decision doesn't surprise me at all. Just one more reason I'm glad the wife and I left this hell hole years ago.

 

[Bill Godshall]

The Post Gazette published my letter today, and highlighted it in a box along with another interesting letter.

Bill Godshall: UPMC’s policy is good, except it should allow smoke-free options
UPMC's policy is good, except it should allow smoke-free options - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ed McMahon: Where is the line?
Where is the line? - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

[Petrodus]

Comment below the "Where is the line?" article

Obesity is a much larger and more expensive problem than smoking.
You can't walk 10 feet in any UPMC facility without encountering
an obese employee. Shall we starve them?

 

[Bill Godshall]

Here are two op/eds (one supportive and one opposing) UPMC's policy that were published in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review

UPMC workers in business of saving lives, so why harm their own by smoking?
UPMC workers in business of saving lives, so why harm their own by smoking? | TribLIVE

UPMC ban could form habit
UPMC ban could form habit | TribLIVE

 

[JerryRM]

In the 1800s, families (yes entire families) worked in factories that controlled their lives, on and off the job. They were paid in company scrip, forced to purchase their needs in company stores, live in company housing and live their lives according to company rules.

Are we as a nation, starting to regress back to those ways?

 

[house mouse]

Comment below the "Where is the line?" article

Obesity is a much larger and more expensive problem than smoking.
You can't walk 10 feet in any UPMC facility without encountering
an obese employee. Shall we starve them?

I expect that eventually employers will hand their employees an approved list of foods that they are allowed to buy while grocery shopping. Any deviation from the list will result in immediate termination.