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AlterNet reports
The second largest tobacco producer in the United States, Reynolds American said Thursday it will ban smoking in all indoor office spaces, bowing to smoke-free social norms.
The manufacturer of Pall Mall and Camel cigarettes said starting from January 1, 2015 smoking cigarettes, cigars, and pipes in conference rooms and elevators will be prohibited.
Designated smoking rooms will be opened by 2016 at the company's headquarters in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and at its two other offices in Tennessee and New Mexico.
[...]E-cigarettes and chewing tobacco are still permitted. Smoking is already banned in the company's production factories, cafeterias and fitness centers, and the move to extend the no-smoking zone was in line with the public standards, according to [Reynolds American spokesman David] Howard.
[...]Smoking is banned in most public spaces in North Carolina, including bars and restaurants, but Reynolds America's offices are exempt from the law, Reynolds said.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by joekiser on Friday January 02 2015, @09:37PM
Small world. I have a few friends who work at Reynolds IT department in Winston. They always took it as a source of pride that they were still allowed to smoke in their offices, since the rest of the state has banned smoking indoors since 2009 (sidenote about priorities: it was the first bill the Democratic party passed when the state was suffering a deep recession and double-digit unemployment).
The justification was that Reynolds threatened to move out of NC if they were required to comply with the law. Given that most of the global corporations in that area had already pulled out, the state/city folded.
Personally, I think this was done as a recruiting incentive. My generation has seen cigarette use go from 1 in 4 to less than 10%. You get two job offers, and one requires you to be around a cloud of cigarette smoke, which job are you going to take?
Debt is the currency of slaves.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 02 2015, @09:45PM
The justification was that Reynolds threatened to move out of NC if they were required to comply with the law. Given that most of the global corporations in that area had already pulled out, the state/city folded.
Sounds like an empty threat to me. NC is probably the most tobacco friendly state in the union, just how many other states would have given them an exemption?
(Score: 2) by frojack on Friday January 02 2015, @10:02PM
Has the state exemptions for Reynolds expired?
I was wondering whether this change was due to actual altruism or laws finally kicking in.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Saturday January 03 2015, @08:12AM
Around? Does this mean I'm forbidden to contribute to that cloud? If true, the other one, but I'd take a job payng 5% less if they allow me to smoke inside.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Saturday January 03 2015, @01:46PM
Is a gas mask deductible? :P
Requirement to communicate verbally? ;)
And of course a written statement that any occurrence of any cancer is to be payed by the company. In the case of bankruptcy the management becomes personally responsible.