GOSHEN — Squeezed by the rising costs of medical insurance and productivity, Hoosier businesses are snuffing out tobacco use at their facilities and not waiting for the Indiana General Assembly to institute a statewide smoking ban.
State lawmakers have been encouraged by Gov. Mitch Daniels to pass a bill that would prohibit smoking in workplaces across Indiana, including offices, factories, restaurants and bars. Smoking bans raise the ire of opponents who argue such policies infringe on personal freedoms and enable the government to take away an individual’s choices.
For businesses, the issue is one of maintaining a healthy bottom line.
For the past three to five years, a growing number of employers in Indiana have either adopted smoke-free rules or are considering doing so, according to Nicole Fallowfield, director of health risk management at Gibson, an insurance and consulting firm based in Indiana. The driving force behind this movement is the need to contain costs.
A report by the National Business Group on Health cites several studies that show employees who smoke are less productive, log more sick days and incur higher health care, disability and workers’ compensation costs.
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