Smoking, Drinking, Over-Eating
 

The standard pee-in-a-cup test might get much more detailed, soon. I was surprised to see some companies are now firing employees because they smoke off the job so that healthcare costs stay down. Alcohol consumption is already on the list at a few places and overweight/fitness testing is logically the next step (and already being used in some terminations in police forces).

Besides the issue of smokers being barely productive at the office -- it must be nice to take a 10min break nearly every hour! -- I'm confused as to why employees aren't being given the option to purchase their own healthcare if they want to smoke. Employers have always had the option, in most states, to fire anyone for any reason. But are your personal, legal choices really grounds for termination?

Smoking is already a damn expensive habit where I work: insurance costs an extra $600/year if anyone in your family lights up.

It is going to be a very sad day, however, when testing for alcohol consumption becomes commonplace. Sigh.

Once they start requiring genetic testing, it is going to get real ugly. Eugenics through workplace productivity! Heil Hitler!

We don't need any psychotic despots in the world anymore. The incessant drive to maximize profits while minimizing wages and benefits will take care of that for us.

I'm trying not to show my ignorance here and wanted to jump in and say What the fuck is it to do with your employer whether you smoke at home or not,but then I remember your healthcare thing is different in the US.
Do most employers pay for your healthcare?Is it part of your salary or private insurance at a cheaper rate through your employer ?
They wanted to bring in Drug testing where i worked but the unions told them to shove it, but I know some transport companies have dope tests for train drivers,that sort of thing..

Most employers pay for the employee's healthcare, and then the employee is usually partially or entirely responsible for any dependents he or she has. If you can prove that no one in your workplace smokes, the overall healthcare price goes way down for the group--because smokers cost a shit-ton of money when they get emphysema or lung cancer--with the potential to save both employer and employee money.

Just being the optimist here, but I think that the line between health choices and health genetics will serve as a big wall in the middle of the slippery slope. People won't stand for discrimination based on your inherited dispositions, only discrimination based on entirely voluntary decisions.

Who needs genetic engineering when you can market vaccines repeatedly?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0521092701.htm

New Type Of Vaccine Against Nicotine Addiction Developed By TSRI Scientists

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have designed a new way to make vaccines against drugs of abuse that could become a valuable tool for treating addiction by helping the body clear the drug from the bloodstream. The latest vaccine they created using this approach induces the body to clear nicotine.

"These new vaccines greatly suppress the reinforcing aspects of the drug," says principal investigator Kim D. Janda, Ph.D. "Blocking it before it gets to the brain--that's the key."

...snip...

Janda and his laboratory, however, have taken an "immunopharmacotherapy" approach. That is, they have designed a drug that stimulates the immune system to clear the nicotine from the system. They based this work on previous successes Janda had in developing a vaccine for another addictive drug--cocaine--which is currently in clinical trials.

The new idea that they have developed is to take a chemical that resembles nicotine and use it to induce an active immune response. In this immune response, the body produces antibodies against nicotine that can neutralize it in the bloodstream. If a smoker later smokes a cigarette, the antibodies will clear the nicotine from the system before it reaches the brain.

...more...

First, these companies at that restrict smoker in the workplace - even some who do drug tests for any nicotene - also pay for health care. But then, also, smokers have a diminish intelligence level. A smarter employee is one who does not smoke.

Is this fair? That is beyond the scope of the question. The question is why employers would make such demands. Does not matter what you think. Employers are doing this for the benefit of their company using facts, and regardless of what you think is / is not fair because 'fair' as you may see it is not relevant to the action.

Anyone who wants to tell me how to run my life, does not get me to tell them how to run their technology.

I harken back to my KPMG Consulting <strike>initiation ritual</strike> orientation week, where one of the presenters said, and I quote,

The best and the brightest, isn't it? They never had any trouble getting insurance though.

have i mentioned that i have serious disdain for pronouns? bothering with the correct tense makes me tense as well.

Chill, "tw."! Make friends with your pronouns! Use "I" often when you speak. In fact, make a habit of starting every sentence with the pronoun, "I"! This will make you many friends among the other pronouns such as "him", "her", "he", "she", "it", "they" and "them".

Post lots of things on the Internet that show how timeless you inanity is. Suggestion: "I am be stupid in the future just like I was stupid right now and will be stupid in the past."

This will win you many admirers.

Compare and contrast the word "inane" with "insane." Note how famous authors like Thomas Pynchon have gotten away with confusing the public and giving literature teachers everywhere migraines by dazzling the reader with the past perfect noun and the nominative tense. Prove that Pynchon actually pre-dated James Joyce by 30 years and Joyce is really the pen name of Joyce Kilmer who wrote the "poem" (so-called) "Trees."

(expletive deleted) think that (expletive deleted) was never see
a poem so lovely as a tree!

(expletive deleted) will know what (expletive deleted) was meaning.

Get the drift of my cigarette smoke?

No? Then go break your silly little mirror.

Our HR director smokes, so we're probably in the clear.

I would have thought smoking was compulsory in your job, or you'd never cope (been there, a long time ago) :right: .

You should see everybody rush the door at my place of work when the kids go. I do not condone such a filthy habit though... Shit, now I've thought of work on the weekend, I need a drink.

Pretty much is. My coworkers and I cycle through smoking ... quitting ... smoking OPs ... buying again ... smoking ... switching to lights ... quitting ... smoking the next day ...

Yeah. Only business I know where the smokers outnumber the nonsmokers.

lol - great stuff

:lol2: