E-Cigarettes in the Workplace – Employer Solutions Plus

The latest fad in America seems to be e-cigarettes. They are being marketed as a safe alternative to tobacco and one by one people are lining up to try them. The explosive sales in the last few years show how high the demand is. You will be strolling through the mall and see someone puffing on one or inside a non-smoking bar or even in airports. When it comes to the workplace – what are the rules?

Most companies have a tobacco policy – these policies were likely made in the late 80s and early 90s when the anti-smoking campaigns were truly transforming workplaces, retail and restaurants. Because of this, most policies do not have specific rules around e-cigarettes.

Before we write rules we should understand what we are writing them about. E-cigarettes are battery-charged devices that have a heating element that vaporizes a liquid nicotine solution, which the users inhale into their lungs and then puff, producing an odorless water vapor. If they hold their breath for a few seconds, there is no vapor emitted at all. Proponents of e-cigarettes claim there is no risk of secondhand smoke.

So what does this mean for your policies? While many municipalities are using the presence of nicotine to qualify these items under existing tobacco policies, we would not suggest the same for your business. It is much easier to re-write a tobacco policy for a private company than update it for an entire city.

Our recommendation is that you rewrite your policy to be clearer around e-cigarettes and all vaporizing units. Employer Solutions Plus can help you find the right balance and develop an iron-clad policy that is right for your business.