Should e-cigarettes be allowed in a non- smoking workplace?

The popularity of electronic cigarettes (aka e-cigarettes) continues to increase across the country. An e-cigarette is a battery-powered device that provides the user with inhaled doses of a vaporized liquid. Generally, the vapor contains nicotine and is inhaled as an alternative to a tobacco cigarette.

According to a recent article on the SHRM website, 29 states and the District of Columbia have laws prohibiting smoking in the workplace, most do not specifically include e-cigarettes. For example, Ohio’s workplace ban applies to “smoking,” which means “inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, or other lighted smoking device for burning tobacco or any other plant.” E-cigarettes, however, do not burn tobacco.

A few states and municipalities have passed legislation explicitly restricting the use of e-cigarettes. Chicago recently passed an ordinance, effective April 29, 2014, that will prohibit the smoking of e-cigarettes in enclosed public places and enclosed places of employment. New York City, Arkansas, New Jersey, North Dakota and Utah also include e-cigarettes in their indoor-smoking regulations.

As of April 9, City of Boise employees were no longer allowed to smoke e-cigarettes at work.  The ruling states that city employees cannot use tobacco products in their workplace, in city vehicles, or within 20 feet of an entrance to a city facility. Now, e-cigarettes have been added to those rules.
While e-cigarettes don’t contain tobacco, they do have nicotine. Doctors say they are a better alternative than traditional cigarettes, but they do not know the long-term effects. A Boise city official stated that they were aware of e-cigarettes when they passed the city smoking ban in 2011, but their popularity has grown enormously since then.
The article on the SHRM website goes on to advise that before making a decision to limit or ban an activity in the workplace, an employer should first weigh the costs and benefits. Because prohibiting certain activities may affect employee morale and productivity, any ban should be based on a legitimate business need.

There are also arguments against banning them as research shows that employees who take long smoke breaks are less productive. Therefore, if you allow employees to use e-cigarettes on the job, they will likely take less breaks and be more productive.  In addition, many of those who rely on e-cigarettes in the workplace may do so because they are trying to quit smoking or not to light up the real thing during the day. E-cigarettes may help workers smoke fewer cigarettes, which in turn should make them healthier. And, ultimately, isn’t that the final goal?

This is just the tip of an iceberg, so stay tuned. As the popularity of e-cigarettes grows, so will the issues surrounding its impact on the workplace.