There have been several blogs touting the possibility that employers might catch on in the near future about how electronic cigarettes can actually increase productivity of their workers, and now that’s already becoming a reality.
In the state of Arizona, voters passed the Smoke-Free Act in 2006 which outlawed smoking tobacco products in most public places across the state.
Krystal Colburn, a program specialist for Smoke-Free Arizona, said “Electronic cigarettes allow smokers to get their nicotine fix without actually burning tobacco. So, instead of tobacco smoke they produce puffs of water vapor. This allows smokers to use them in their work space legally.”
What this also means is, those employees who used to smoke traditional cigarettes had to leave the area to get their fix, but now they are able to “vape” in their office or other work space without having to take time off to do it.
Managers don’t have to deal with the fire hazard, the messy ash, the nasty smell or the harmful secondhand smoke. Co-workers don’t have to feel resentful of the frequent breaks that smokers often take either. It’s a win-win for everyone.
In addition, those who have switched to electronic cigarettes are likely not calling in sick as often as they are no longer exposed to the hundreds of toxic chemicals found in tobacco cigarettes.
Colburn noted that her “organization hasn’t received any complaints about the use of e-cigarettes in the workplace. Unless it creates a policy limiting their use, the products will continue to be allowed in Arizona public places.”
One can only hope this trend will continue throughout the nation and that more employers will open up their eyes to the benefits of allowing e-cigarettes in the workplace.