The Workplace and Your Personal Vaporizer

The Workplace and Your Personal Vaporizer

By: Tiffany Davis

Flavor Vapor Media Specialist

As personal vaporizers catch on like a wild fire many are left with the question of what about my workplace. Most workplaces have not caught up to regulate them in a lengthy handbook. Most places have tobacco regulations that they ask employees to follow concerning their e-cigs. But, the big argument is that e-cigs contain to tobacco and should not be classified in the same way. This can be difficult because the employee no longer “smokes” so, should they still be allowed “smoke breaks” even if they vape. To many people they still need their nicotine fix for the day and some people even turn to smoking just because they want/miss the breaks with co-workers.  So, I wandered what they were doing about it in other countries that are far stricter than our own laws. In Brittan, a reporter  Glenn Calvert  wrote a whole article about this very situation across the pond.

                With the growing number of Britons vaping at about 1.3 billion they have a lot to talk about. They made some surprising arguments for and against.

“Opinion on their use, both generally and in the workplace, is split.  Supporters argue that e-cigarettes should be actively promoted as a healthy alternative to smoking and that employers should play their part in encouraging employees to give up smoking by using this method. On the other side of the debate, people are concerned that the use of e-cigarettes glamorises smoking and could in fact encourage nonsmokers (including minors) to take it up. Many people are unconvinced that they have no health ramifications. Although e-cigarettes do not contain any tar, they do contain nicotine, which is addictive (although it is possible to buy “zero nicotine” e-cigarettes) and there is no clear evidence as to whether they contain any other toxic elements.”

This is new field that will be paved for vaping in the work place and maybe it will fall by the way side but, eventually either by federal regulation or by individual business decisions something will have to happen. In my personal opinion if employees are not allowed to vape indoors then they should still be allowed to have a designated area for vapers or vape breaks. We should not punish those who switch from smoking to vaping by taking away their much loved breaks. There are many questions still that we will have to address like:

1)    If vaping in the workplace is to be banned, where should vapers be told to ‘vape  up’?

 2)   If employees are made to leave their desks to vape, the time spent away from their desks needs to be monitored.

3)    Should this be a state or federal decision?

  4)  What approach should be taken to vaping at social events for business or pleasure?

  5) An approach once decided on, it needs to be clearly communicated to all employees, with the consequences of breach made clear.

If you want to read more about the British article find it at- http://www.lexology.com

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