County ban on hiring smokers draws notice (BARF Alert!)

The Desert Sun ^ | 1-7-4 | Darrell Smith

[SheLion]

Riverside County will no longer hire prospective sheriff

[Great Dane]

By eliminating all government employees who are more likely to have medical problems, the taxpayers would save a bunch on health care costs.

Yes, but it's open season on smokers only, everyone else gets a pass.

[Great Dane]

IF that were the case here, I don't think this would be an issue. I believe the county is paying the premiums in this case.

It doesn't matter, smokers are paying such high taxes as to pay for their illness... if any, with enough left over to pay for others selfinflicted diseases.

[Great Dane]

They have already taken this to court in Florida. Hopefully, Florida will set an example. All we have to do is find a good lawyer that believes in the rights of the people

The Breweries in Ontario has told the province, if the impliment a New York style ban in Ontario, the province will be taken to court, the Breweries has seen the devastation the City bans has caused.

[Gabz]

many seem to be missing that point.............Smokers are also TAXPAYERS.

I would posit that someone showing up for work with a raging hangover is more likely to have an accident than the guy that had a cigarette before his shift began.

Therefore the TAXPAYERS shouldn't be subsidizing their workers compensation either.

Of course these nanny do gooders view this through tunnel vision. It matters not that some people are paying more but are being denied the benefits of that for which they are paying.

[Great Dane]

If you don't like it, you are free to start a competing business that hires smokers.

No one here has a problem with you making that choice for your own business, we have a problem with you thinking the government has the right to make that choice for you, why is that so hard to understand.

[Great Dane]

If you've ever applied for insurance you'd know one of the first questions is if you smoke or how long it's been since you quit....it's not a survey to determine if it's legal or if it's your right to smoke in public places...it's to determine YOUR rate and it DOES increase the cost of the insured...period.

That of course has nothing to do with it being open season on smokers... a nice way to improve the bottom line.

[Mears]

If smokers have more accident rates,which I doubt,it is probably going outside in all kinds of weather to have their butt.

Before I retired I stood in many an icy doorway to have a cig.Could have slipped and fallen and filed a claim since it was on company property.

All this stuff is hysterical. A person can come in hungover,but functioniing,every day as long as he is a non smoker.Isn't there a bit of discrimination in this?

[Mears]

Poor old Ted,that Glenlivet is doing an awful job on his liver.

[metesky]

If there's any truth at all to the "smokers have more accidents" mantra, it's simply because smokers are the last risk takers left in our theraputic society, IMO.

[templar]

Personally, I agree that individuals should pay their own health insurance and that they should be charged individually based on their particular lifestyle.

This is basically my position. Unfortuntely, it is not the situation that is described in this article.

[templar]

I am sitting here in awe of your ignorance, how many times do we and professional number crunchers have to tell you that smokers pays their own way and then some.

OK, so how much total dollars does this county sheriffs department receive in tobacco taxes? Just the number in dollars would be OK, or as a percentage of it's overall operating revenues would also do. And what is the dollar amount attributed to (alleged) losses due to smoking at this department in relation to the amount of tabacco tax they receive? I don't believe I've been told these figures by "we" (I'm assuming that you are included in that "we") or any professional number crunchers. So dispell my ingorance.

[Xenalyte]

He asserts research shows smokers have higher accident rates and take more sick leave than nonsmokers.

I could swear I've read right here on FR that smokers are more productive and take fewer sick days than non-smokers.

[Xenalyte]

If you've ever applied for insurance you'd know one of the first questions is if you smoke or how long it's been since you quit....

Let's assume I'm a smoker (which I'm not). If I were to say "no," how would they prove otherwise? One doesn't get tested for nicotine and tar, after all.

[2nd amendment mama]

Genetic predispositons are not habits

Oh, I see....homosexuality is a genetic disease...um sure...believe that if you want to.

[Great Dane]

Someone here just posted a link a little while ago, showing the data on cost of smokers, look for it.

[Great Dane]

One doesn't get tested for nicotine and tar, after all.

Wait a minute, and a test will come right up. :-}

[templar]

Oh, I see....homosexuality is a genetic disease...um sure...believe that if you want to

You may wish to make this case (that homosexuality is a genetic disease) but you will find no acceptance with me. You have a problem reading things and understqanding what they mean? Or are you, somehow, trying to backdoor a connection with a freewill choice (homosexuality, smoking, drugs, etc.) and a genetic problem like sickle cell anemia? Lotsa luck, try it on someone with lower intelligence.

[templar]

look for it.

You called me ignorant. I confessed my ignorance regarding the finances of this department and the amount of its tobacco tax revenues. I asked you for them. You have referred me to a link that is totally unrelated to my questions. So, I now sit here in awe of your ignorance.

Perhaps the pot should not call the kettle black?

[Mears]

A test to see if you smoke is not needed,just some Nazi like spying on people.

There was a case here in Massachusetts about a year ago where a cop lost his job because someone reported him for smoking OFF DUTY.

The officer didn't have a leg to stand on because he had agreed not to smoke when he had taken the job several years earlier.He did admit to smoking at a party so he was fired and all because of an anonymous tip.

I find it strange that if the officer had been blind drunk at a social occasion while off duty he would still have his job.

[Madame Dufarge]

I find it strange that if the officer had been blind drunk at a social occasion while off duty he would still have his job

I do too, Mears.

But I'm sure it's only a matter of time before anyone who ever takes a drink or is 10 pounds overweight will be targeted.

Give them time, and the usual suspects will shift their "Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Universe" allegiance to the "Partnership for an Alcohol-Free Universe" or the "Partnership for an Obesity-Free Universe" camp.

I wonder if any of the FReepers who posted "STINKYHANDS" or "YELLOWTEETH" in the Key Words section are overweight or ever drink alcohol?