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Employers ponder tough tactics to halt smoking
Howard Weyers tried the "carrot" approach by giving his employees incentives and encouragement to quit smoking. But when that didn't work, he resorted to the stick. A big stick.
Weyers, owner of a health care benefits administrator in Lansing, Mich., gave his 200 employees an ultimatum in 2004: Quit smoking in 15 months or lose your job. He refused to hire smokers. Ultimately, he extended his smoking ban to employees' spouses and monitored compliance through mandatory random blood testing.
Weyers' method, while effective, wouldn't fly in California because the state has laws that prohibit employers from making hiring or firing decisions based on employee participation in a legal activity.
About 45 million Americans, 4 million of whom live in California, smoke cigarettes despite more than three decades of public efforts to encourage people to quit.
California, on both the state and local levels, has been at the forefront of anti-smoking efforts with laws to ban smoking in public places. A law went into effect in January that prohibits drivers from smoking when children are in the car. Still, smoking costs the state an estimated $8.6 billion in direct medical costs and $7.3 billion in lost productivity a year, according to the California division of the American Cancer Society.
In addition to lost work hours, employers have a vested interest in getting their workforce to kick the habit, given that they pay a large portion of health care costs and are the main source of health insurance for more than half the population. Howard Weyers tried the "carrot" approach by giving his employees incentives and encouragement to quit smoking. But when that didn't w... more -
Is Brazil's anti-smoking campaign too harsh?
As released by the Health Ministry on May 27, 2008. Brazil launched a series of new hard-hitting anti-smoking advertisements, showing 10 images of the health risks involved with tobacco use.
Do smokers deserve a little more respect? As released by the Health Ministry on May 27, 2008. Brazil launched a series of new hard-hitting anti-smoking advertisements, showing ... more -
Cool kids can help not-so cool kids to avoid smoking
According to a new study published today, having the cool kids talk to their peers about the dangers of smoking reduced the amount of youngsters starting to smoke by almost 25%, reports Reuters.
The results were published in the Lancet journal and highlight the use of 'a different approach' to their research, asking students to nominate fellow pupils who they deemed as 'influential or leaders' who were then asked to 'spread the anti-smoking message.'
A health researcher involved in the University of Bristol study commented: "The important thing this shows is that young people can help each other from taking up the addictive habit of smoking...If the programme was taken up widely it could cut the recruitment of new smokers significantly."
According to a new study published today, having the cool kids talk to their peers about the dangers of smoking reduced the amount of ... more -
Smoking Can Still Kill You Ten Years After You Quit
The smoking boom of the 1950's, 1960's and 1970s is starting to take it's toll on older Americans many of whom quit smoking years ago. this article focuses on the rise of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that used to be thought of an old man's disease now its killing an equal amount or more women.
I think many think that once you quit smoking your lungs will repair and things will be all good if you don't get hit with cancer, but the specter of all those cigs can hang with you forever and destroy your life down the road.
It is time to quit smoking if you already haven't. ... more -
Waiting to Inhale
Warning from the Current General: This pod may be hazardous to your beliefs on smoking. Current host Joe Hanson breaks down the issues of freedom and health as they relate to cigarette smokers and the people they affect. Warning from the Current General: This pod may be hazardous to your beliefs on smoking. Current host Joe Hanson breaks down the issues... more
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If You're a Smoker Get Ready to Pay a Bit More for your Habit...
If youre a smoker and work for Tribune Co., get ready to pay $100 per month for your habit. Starting in 08 Tribune is assessing this new fee, along with a $75/month for spousal coverage.
Tribune Company spokesman Gary Weitman defended the move by saying, We pay the lion's share of medical expenses and we have a responsibility to contain those costs. We are and have been doing everything we can; it is a shared responsibility between employees and the company.
The new assessment however has drawn union fire as two Teamster locals at The Sun of Baltimore have already filed a grievance against Tribune claiming the fee, violates a contract provision limiting health care premium increases to 4% per year.
Bill Salganik, president of the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild and a Sun reporter claims that, (other) employers try to encourage healthy living, but they do it in a constructive way by developing programs for weight management and smoking cessation. But Tribune immediately went negative."
However, a friend of mine (who works for Tribune) stated that as she scanned through this new policy found that, they pay for your smoking cessation programs, and if you complete it you don't have to pay the smokers' fee.
What are your thoughts?
Are these new fees just a hidden premium? Or does Tribune mean to promote good health through what theyre now calling a wellness initiative? And does it stop with just a smoker fee? Or do companies begin assessing alcohol taxes or even fast food taxes?
If youre a smoker and work for Tribune Co., get ready to pay $100 per month for your habit. Starting in 08 Tribune is assessing thi... more -
Taxes on cigarettes seem to work!
Taxes on cigarettes are two-fold - they raise money for health education programs, and they're intended to make people think twice about picking up another pack or carton... And according to research done by USA Today (bastion or journalism that they are), it's working. Awesome! Except we may have to start looking elsewhere for those health education dollars. As our president of programming likes to say, that would be a 'high-class problem' we'd be happy to have. Taxes on cigarettes are two-fold - they raise money for health education programs, and they're intended to make people think twice abo... more
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More Doctors Smoke Camels Than Any Other Cigarette
Smokin Docs say smokin good!
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USB e-lighter concept could fire up your next carton
the iLighter, anyone? This sounds like a fire hazard to me...
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