It’s a given that when you work in an office, you will be surrounded by people who smoke cigarettes. Although it is not the most pleasant smell, the smoke from cigarettes is not poisonous. But even when you work in a smoke-free workplace, you will still be around people who smoke, and you may still come into contact with secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, including 200 known carcinogens, 70 of which are already known to be linked to lung cancer.
Every day, there are thousands of adults and children in the United States who suffer from the effects of second-hand smoke. It is now a well-known fact that secondhand smoke is a known carcinogen and a serious danger to health. As a result, it is illegal for all employers to have smoking areas in their buildings. However, many employers have yet to follow through with this mandate, and there is still a high number of smokers in their offices and factories.
Benefits of Smoke-Free Workplaces
The benefits of smoke-free workplaces are numerous. Here are a few;
1. The World Health Organization estimates that 480,000 people worldwide die from smoking-related diseases each year. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 40 million adult Americans are smokers. The effect smoking has on your body is no secret. It can cause cancer, heart problems, and lung disease.
2. Workplaces are becoming smoke-free at a record pace due to the negative effects of second-hand smoke on our health and productivity. Of the 469 cities and towns across the United States with more than 50,000 people, almost a third have banned smoking in all public places. That’s more than 200 cities and towns.
3. Tobacco products are common in workplaces. Many companies still allow smoking on their premises or in designated areas. It is estimated that more than 1 in 5 employees are exposed to secondhand smoke at work. This is a portion of the more than 8 million people who die every year from tobacco-related diseases, making it the largest single preventable cause of death worldwide.
4. Smoke-free workplaces are known to be associated with lower tobacco-related disease and reduced exposure to secondhand smoke. Fewer smoking-related deaths have been reported among employees in smoke-free offices, and some studies suggest that employees are less likely to experience chest pain and other symptoms of heart disease and cancer after quitting.
Final Words
Recognizing the benefits of a smoke-free workplace, it is never late to enact smoke-free policies in the workplace.
To know more about the benefits of smoke-free workplaces, attend the Compliance Prime webinar.
