This applies to all employees, not just nurses. And, they offer smoking cessation treatment to all employees, and also offer free help to people whose urine screen turns up positive during pre-employment screening. Those potential applicants are eligible to reapply after 90 days. Also - this does not affect current employees at the Cleveland Clinic. Alcohol in moderation has not been proven to have the effects smoking does. Smoking, whether "a little" or "a lot" is detrimental to your health. Some alcohol use, especially red wine, has been proven to be beneficial. As a current CCF employee, I do not have a problem whatsoever with this policy. Yes, there are some economic motivations. Fewer days of missed work, less expensive health insurance for ALL employees, etc. Since it does not affect current employees, I do not think it is a discriminatory issue. Smokers are free to choose other facilities in which to work. The occurence of many diseases is based partly on modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. I have a hard time understanding the backlash a company (Cleveland Clinic or any company for that matter) would receive for choosing not to employ people with modifiable risk factors. Being denied employment for being male (and therefore higher risk for heart disease) would be discrimination. Being denied employment for being a smoker (and therefore higher risk for heart disease, etc) is not discrimination. In this age of "choosing", you have many choices. You can choose to not smoke. You can choose to quit if you do smoke. [Addiction or not, people quit every day.] You can also choose to work elsewhere. I find it odd that some expect to be able to choose whatever unhealthy behaviors they want, expect their insurance company/employer to pay for costs resulting from those behaviors, yet get upset when said facility chooses to protect its interests by minimizing risk. Excuse me for sounding a bit harsh, but I think it needs to be said.
