Worksite Tobacco Policies
MYTH: Employee tobacco use is not an employer's business.
FACT: Public health is everyone's business, and employers are in a unique position to help their employees quit tobacco.
Thirty-one percent of employed tobacco users say they smoke less because of smoking restrictions at work, and many more tobacco users have quit completely in response to stricter workplace regulations. By adopting a supportive tobacco policy,you greatly increase your employees’ likelihood cessation success.
MYTH: Tobacco use is a personal choice.
FACT: Tobacco use is not a choice for most users; It is a deadly addiction.
Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known to man. In the United States, the majority of adult tobacco users (74 percent) say they want to quit. Each year, about 40 percent of tobacco users try to quit, and 85 percent have tried to quit at least once, but most quit attempts are unsuccessful.
Worksite Tobacco Policy Resources
Learn why your worksite tobacco policy matters and how to improve it. Download the Worksite Tobacco Policy Toolkit. If you're interested in developing a tobacco-free policy at your worksite, call the Health Department at 785-843-3060.
Sources
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cigarette smoking among adults–United States, 2004. MMWR 2005;54:1121–1124.
- American Cancer Society (2014, February 6). A word about success rates for quitting smoking.
- Sadd, L. (2002, November 21). Most smokers wish they could quit. Gallup.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. Research report series: Tobacco addiction. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2009.
- Newport, F. (2013, July 31). Most US smokers want to quit, have tried multiple times. Gallup.