Readers react to city’s anti-smoking move

Our story from last week headlined, “Dayton stops hiring smokers, vapers; union worries about ‘slippery slope’ ” drew a lot of reader response on our Facebook page. Here’s a selection of what people said:

Tonya Thomas: Folks, I despise smoking. So much so, I will not have any sort of new friendship with someone who smokes. It’s a character red flag for me. But this crosses a line. ... How can they pick one legal vice over another? What’s next? Meat eaters? There is plenty of research suggesting it’s unhealthy and bad for the planet.

Jason Tracy: Discrimination much??

Carter Angela: It’s already hard enough to find workers these days, and to put even more restrictions on the list is not a good idea.

Lori Lucas: This move is completely due to health insurance. It is a legal maneuver to keep costs down. It has nothing to do with political party. I don’t agree with it. Let’s put the blame game squarely where it belongs, which is the health insurance conglomerates.

Robert Tomashot: Curious to how much this is going to cost Dayton once this goes through the courts. I personally quit 6 years ago, but last time I checked smoking is way legal.

Lee Joshua: This is awesome. Good news. Now let’s get rid of them all the way.

Joie Titcombe: It costs more to employ a smoker. They are sick more often, recover from illness slower, take more days off due to illness, take more breaks (decreases productivity), and raise insurance premiums. If a smoker doesn’t want to stop smoking, then apply at a company does not have a non-smoking requirement.

Tom Bauman: More and more employers are insisting on tobacco-free workers. Rather their insurance carriers do to control insurance rates ... Without policies like this many employers can no longer afford to provide health insuance to their employees.

Anna D’Alessandro-Duncan: Isn’t this discrimination? You’re telling people what they can do in their personal lives. I thought we lived in America Land of the Free! It’s not like they are doing anything illegal. How can they dictate what people can do in their personal lives. I can’t believe I just read this. They could be opening themselves to legal ramifications. I’m hoping the union isn’t supporting this.

Steven McDonald: Include drinking alcohol if you really wanna be bold, Dayton.

Dona Maggert Houser: Most businesses already test for drugs, and have a zero policy on alcohol “in your system” at work.

Cory Green: What employees do outside of the work place is really none of their concern. Make it to where they can’t smoke while on the government time clock.

Paul Nerlinger: You get a check, and you get a check.

Leslie Goode: Why not just make tobacco use of all kinds — cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vaping — completely illegal elsewhere? Of course not! Eliminating tobacco use would eliminate tobacco profits. Too much $$$ in play.

Tank Spencer: This has got to be unconstitutional ... How are you allowed to penalize somebody for doing something that is completely legal?

Tony Miller: Next will be height and weight restrictions.

Matt Atha: If you smoke, just don’t work for Dayton.

Kevin Grant: Big Government.

Fran Vucic: So when are we going to test for the caffeine addicts where caffeine contributes to heart disease? Oh wait... Sugar!!! That destroys dental costs! How about trans fat? Wait, not good enough ... We only want vegans! See where this goes, folks?