I'm sorry that is not our position. We do not support victimising smokers. If someone's smoking is a problem at work just like any other issue it can be dealt with by the disciplinary procedure and it may be that because someone is a smoker they are not right for the job but ASH does not support excluding people from employment just because they smoke. If we take your position to its absurd conclusion it would lead to 25% of the adult population being unemployable.

Deborah Arnott
Director
Action on Smoking & Health
102 Clifton Street
London
EC2A 4HW

Tel: 020 7739 5902
Fax: 020 7613 0531
Mobile: 079 7693 5987
e-mail: deborah.arnott@ash.org.uk
web: http://www.ash.org.uk
map: http://uk2.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?pc=EC2A4HW


 




-----Original Message-----
From: David Reed [mailto:yorkshireash@btinternet.com]
Sent: 23 December 2005 15:43
To: ASH Daily News
Cc: Deborah Arnott; Amanda Sandford
Subject: Re: 23 December 2005


I refer to the ASH position statement re the dismissed smoker.

Surely our position should be that this is entirely up to the employer.
There are very good business reasons for deciding not to employ smokers.
Less time off for sickness absence, less pressure on the superannuation
scheme, less chance of someone dealing with the public smelling of smoke on
breath or clothes, no need to face the thorny issue of allowing smoking
breaks outside and the resulting resentment from non smokers. There is also
a safety issue of nicotine withdrawal for train and bus drivers, fork lift
truck drivers, lorry drivers , pilots etc. Using your words, being a smoker
may mean they are not "right for the job".

I am not saying we should say all of this, just that we should be neutral -
it is "up to the employer"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sarah Ward" <replytosender@globalink.org>
To: "ASH Daily News" <yorkshireash@btinternet.com>
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2005 11:27 AM
Subject: 23 December 2005


ASH, 102 Clifton Street, LONDON, EC2A 4HW.
Tel 020 7739 5902 Fax 020 7613 0531

ASH Daily News

23 December 2005

[View html version: http://www.globalink.org/nbuk]

HEADLINES

Worker sacked from job for being a smoker

NHS wants patients not to smoke during home visit

Charlotte Church in smoking row at the rugby

Austria's train station's to go smokefree

Festive wishes


FULL TEXT

Worker sacked from job for being a smoker


Sophie Blinman, 21, was sacked 45 minutes after starting her new job -
because she was a smoker.

Sophie, who smokes five to 10 cigarettes a day, was delighted to land her
£6-an-hour job as an administrator at Dataflow Communications. She said: "I
dressed smartly, arrived in good time and was about to be taken on a tour of
the offices when I was asked if I smoked. When I said I did, I immediately
sensed a problem."

"I explained I'd happily wait until my lunch break to smoke, and leave the
premises to do so. But I was told the company didn't employ smokers and
there was no longer a position for me."

"I was never asked at my interview if I smoked." Sophie added: "This has
left me angered and unemployed. I can't believe a business is allowed a
policy against employing smokers. Surely this is discrimination. I shall be
seeking legal advice."

Dataflow, which employs 20 workers at its offices in Wells, advertises its
nonsmokers policy on its website.

Managing director Fran Edwards said: "All our employees have been recruited
on this basis. We can't make an exception."

Information Services boss Ian Murray added: "We didn't ask Sophie at her
interview if she was a smoker because we assumed the agency that sent her
only asked nonsmokers to apply."

Employment lawyer Frank Ryan said: "This is unusual, but it doesn't breach
the law. Sophie won't qualify for unfair dismissal but she might challenge
on the grounds of human rights."

Daily Mirror 23/12/05
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid515416%26methodò6siteid"762%26headline
Also reported in
Daily Express 23/12/05, Times 23/12/05
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1957432,00.html


ASH's position on the issue:

ASH's policy is that people who smoke should be given support and
encouragement to quit, but they should not be discriminated against when
applying for jobs. The important point is whether potential employees
support and embrace the aims and objectives of the organisation. If they are
right for the job then what they do in their own private time is up to them.



NHS wants patients not to smoke during home visit


Patients are to be banned from smoking in their home when they are visited
by Health Service workers. Those who insist on continuing to smoke will have
to see community health workers on 'neutral' premises instead.

The policy is being introduced from New Year's Day in Nottinghamshire to
protect staff from the dangers of passive smoke.

Barbara Brady, the trust's senior public health manager said "if a patient
or a family member is smoking during a home visit, NHS staff may be
subjected to environmental tobacco smoke through passive smoking or
second-hand smoking."

"Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals in the form of particles and
gases and some of the immediate effects of passive smoking include eye
irritation, headache, cough, sore throat, dizziness and nausea."

Jennifer Percival, of Royal College of Nursing favours the policy and said
"patients expect to be treated in a safe environment. It is reasonable for
any representative of the NHS, provide care to the public to expect to work
in a safe environment. Smokefree working should be a nurse's right, no a
privilege."

Kate Alley of ASH said "asking patients to refrain from smoking in the
presence of healthcare visitors is not an unreasonable request and will
dramatically improve the working lives of staff."

Daily Mail 23/12/05 http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005590500,,00.html

Daily Express 23/12/05 and Daily Star 23/12/05



Charlotte Church in smoking row at the rugby


Charlotte Church got into a row with rugby bosses over her smoking. Ms
Church was ordered three times to put out her cigarette as she sat in the
stadium's executive box watching her boyfriend, Gavin Henson, play.

An onlooker said "she behaved like a right prima donna and they don't like
that sort of nonsense at rugby grounds."

The Liberty stadium, where the match was played, has a smoking ban anywhere
on the ground. "She was lucky not to be ejected" the onlooker said "just
because she's a VIP guest does not mean she can smoke."

Charlotte's boyfriend, a top rugby player, hates her smoking saying that she
should give up for the sake of her voice and health.

Daily Star 23/12/05 & Daily Mirror 23/12/05



Austria's train stations to go smokefree

Austria's train stations will outlaw cigarette smoking starting Jan 1, the
national railroad announced on Thursday. Smoking will be banned at station
entrances and on platforms.

International Herald Tribune 23/12/05


Festive Wishes

To all of our subscribers to ASH Daily News we wish you a very happy festive
season.


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Sarah Ward
Information Manager
Action on Smoking & Health (ASH)
102 Clifton Street
London
EC2A 4HW

Tel: 020 7739 5902
Fax: 020 7613 0531
e-mail: sarah.ward@ash.org.uk
web: http://www.ash.org.uk
map: http://uk2.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?pcì2A4HW