The War on Nicotine

Vermont's law just went into effect so you can't buy smokes till you're 21.

U-Haul is putting a halt on the employment of nicotine users in Vermont and 20 other states starting Feb 1.

The equipment moving and storage rental company’s new nicotine-free hiring policy will apply to users of nicotine patches, capsules or any other products containing nicotine, but workers hired prior to Feb 1 will not be impacted by the policy, U-Haul announced in a recent press release.

U-haul’s jump on the health-conscious wave comes amid rising concerns over increases in youth tobacco use and vaping. In 2017, 9.3 percent of high school students in Vermont smoked cigarettes on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, the rate was 8 percent, according to a study conducted by Truth Initiative.

Full story here.

 

Thought this was federal law now.

 

It should be. More importantly, the existing laws should be enforced more vigorously. The tobacco industry has been living off getting children addicted to nicotine for way too long. How many people actually pick up smoking after they turn 18, much less after they turn 21? Not nearly enough to keep big tobacco executives in the type of lifestyle to which they are accustomed.

 

America: you are free to do as we say.

 

Excellent. I hope more states and companies take these kind of measures. I have said this before and I'll say it again: how in the world can any reasonably-educated person ever think about putting a cigarette in their mouth? There's too much info, too much proof and too many dead people.

 

Costs a lot more to insure a smoker, no?

 

Good question. I don't know the answer to that, but Cosmo raised a good point. I doubt U-Haul cares about anything other than keeping its own insurance costs down and getting employees to show up to work more often.

Is this fair or right? I don't care. As I have in the past, I freely admit that I am not particularly rational on this subject. The target of my ire is not smokers. It is the tobacco companies, who make their living by selling poison to children.

 

Well, ya first do it when you're young, dumb and impressionable, then you kind of like it and so you keep going back. I'm 46 and I still smoke socially. I'm pretty reasonably educated, but I also have an addictive personality.

 

At the same time we're trying to eliminate tobacco smoke, there is a massive push to legalize marijuana nationwide.
Inhaling one type of smoke into your lungs is OK and the other is not, I suppose.

 

I was in the city last week, meandering from sand to glass for hours on end. Haven't had a cig in a few years but was really wanting one and nearly bought a pack to indulge for a few days. Chose not to. Kind of want one right now but not enough to make the effort.