E-Cigarettes Spark Dilemma for Employers

Jay Hux was quoted in the Wall Street Journal on January 15, 2014.

The article highlighted electronic cigarettes causing issues in the workplace.

Vaping at work can be a hazy issue for most workers and their employers. While companies want to support workers' efforts to quit smoking, some are unsure about inviting the staff to use battery powered cigarettes in the office.

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia ban smoking in the workplace, but only New Jersey, Utah and North Dakota have added electronic cigarettes to those laws.

The Food and Drug Administration is considering restrictions on the sale and marketing of whether e-cigarettes, and may release its recommendations in the next few weeks.

“That proposal could eliminate some of the uncertainty as to whether e-cigarettes should be grouped as tobacco products that are harmful," said Jay. "That's a narrative employers should be aware of."

Jay also spoke to SHRM Online about electronic cigarettes. "These devices contain nicotine as well as detectable levels of known carcinogens and toxic chemicals, and prohibiting their use in the workplace eliminates the risk of any complaints from nonsmoking co-workers, customers or others annoyed by the vapors," Jay said.

Wall Street Journal subscribers can read the full article here.