Do you often take short breaks to take in smoke and enjoy the fag at your work place? If the answer is yes, then there’s one place in the United States of America where no company will count you in (in future). Yes, Forth Worth city is planning for banning the hiring of smokers.

What it terms as a smart move to save the city as well as increase the health and productivity of the employees, the city of Forth Worth is presumably planning to impose ban on tobacco for new employees. The proposed idea is likely to protect the health of thousands of people.  The Major of the city, Vince Chasteen feels that the idea would be a mere infringement on public’s rights. The proposal was also not welcomed by a large section of people who were of the opinion that it would violate employees’ rights. Some even argued that the productivity increases better when the company employs smokers.

However, Fort Worth City manager felt that the idea of banning the hiring of smokers should be implemented so that the companies would be benefitted by saving huge amounts of money as it is known that the companies provide health insurance and it’s obvious that smokers are more prone to cardiac related diseases and often get admitted to hospital. Apart from this, the idea of ban on tobacco would also contribute towards a healthier and a cleaner atmosphere.

But, what would happen if the idea gets implemented? The companies will undoubtedly lose some of the best brains of the world! Smoking is a personal choice of an individual and one can only strive to bring awareness but cannot go ahead and ban the employees. It would be better for the companies if they introduce some attractive incentives only for non-smokers as this would not let non-smokers tilt towards the smoke. (Phani)