View source for Smoker protection law

{{short description|Law prohibiting employers from discriminating against tobacco users}}
{{refimprove|date=August 2017}}
[[File:Map of US Smoker Protection Laws by State.svg|400 px|thumb|
'''Smoker protection laws in the United States'''
<br>
----
{{legend|#8dd35f;|State with smoker protection law}}
{{legend|#2a7fff;|State with non-specific laws protecting smokers}}]]

In the United States, '''smoker protection laws''' are state statutes that prevent employers from [[Employment discrimination|discriminating]] against employees for using [[tobacco]] products. Currently twenty-nine states and the [[District of Columbia]] have such laws. Although laws vary from state to state, employers are generally prohibited from either refusing to hire or firing an employee for using any type of tobacco product during non-working hours and off of the employer's property. In four states ([[California]], [[Colorado]], [[New York (state)|New York]], and [[North Carolina]]) there is no specific law related to employee tobacco use but smokers are protected under broader state statutes that prohibit employers from discriminating against any employee who engages in a lawful activity. California also has a law that protects employees who engage in lawful activity, but it has been interpreted by the courts as not creating any new substantive rights but instead set forth a process to pursue claims for violation of existing [[California Labor Code|Labor Code]] protections before the state Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

Most of these laws were first enacted in the late 1980s and early 1990s. However, as discrimination against smokers in the workplace has become more widespread in recent years,{{CN|date=September 2017}} several states{{which?|date=September 2017}} have enacted such laws more recently.{{CN|date=September 2017}} In states without smoker protection laws some employers have begun refusing to hire new employees who smoke.<ref>[https://fortune.com/2020/01/02/u-haul-bans-hiring-smokers-21-states/ UHaul bans hiring smokers in 21 states] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103140034/https://fortune.com/2020/01/02/u-haul-bans-hiring-smokers-21-states/ |date=January 3, 2020 }}</ref> While many of these employers are using the [[honor system]] to enforce these policies, a few of them are requiring that employees be tested for nicotine.{{CN|date=September 2017}} Many of the businesses with these policies are in the [[healthcare industry]], but some county and municipal governments have also enacted such policies.<ref>[http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080520/NEWS/805200406/1661 County: Smokers need not apply]</ref>
<ref>[http://www2.hernandotoday.com/content/2010/apr/16/162137/city-wants-nip-tobacco-use-butt/ City wants to nip tobacco use in the butt] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420062911/http://www2.hernandotoday.com/content/2010/apr/16/162137/city-wants-nip-tobacco-use-butt/ |date=2010-04-20 }}</ref>

[[Arizona]] previously had a smoker protection law but it was repealed 2007.{{CN|date=September 2017}}

==States with smoker protection laws==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! State
! Year
! Code
! Notes
|-
| [[California]]
| 2005
| CA LABOR CODE § 96(k) & 98.6
| Not specific to tobacco use, covers all lawful activities but has been interpreted by the courts as not creating any new substantive rights
|-
| [[Colorado]]
| 1990
| CO REV. STAT. ANN § 24-34-402.5
| Not specific to tobacco use, covers all lawful activities
|-
| [[Connecticut]]
| 2003
| CT GEN. STAT. ANN. § 31-40s
|
|-
| [[District of Columbia]]
| 1993
| D.C. CODE ANN. § 7-1703.3
|
|-
| [[Illinois]]
| 1987
| 820 ILL. COMP. STAT. 55/5
|
|-
| [[Indiana]]
| 2006
| IND. CODE §§ 22-5-4-1 et seq.
|
|-
| [[Kentucky]]
| 1994
| KY REV. STAT. ANN. § 344.040
|
|-
| [[Louisiana]]
| 1991
| LA REV. STAT. ANN. § 23:966
|
|-
| [[Maine]]
| 1991
| ME REV. STAT. ANN. tit. 26, § 597<ref>[http://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/26/title26sec597.html Maine Revised Statutes (Title 26: Labor and Industry, Chapter 7: Employment Practices, Subchapter 1: Conditions for Employment)]</ref>
|
|-
| [[Minnesota]]
| 1992
| MINN. STAT. § 181.938
|
|-
| [[Mississippi]]
| 1994
| MISS. CODE ANN. § 71-7-33
|
|-
| [[Missouri]]
| 1992
| MO. REV. STAT. § 290.145
|
|-
| [[Montana]]
| 1993
| MONT. CODE ANN. §§ 39-2-313 & 39-2-314
|
|-
| [[Nevada]]
| 1991
| NEV. REV. STAT. § 613.333
|
|-
| [[New Hampshire]]
| 1991
| N.H. REV. STAT. ANN. § 275:37-a
|
|-
| [[New Jersey]]
| 1991
| N.J. STAT. ANN. §§ 34:6B-1 et seq.
|
|-
| [[New Mexico]]
| 1991
| N.M. STAT. ANN. §§ 50-11-1 et seq.
|
|-
| [[New York (state)|New York]]
| 1992
| [LABOR] LAW § 201-d
| Not specific to tobacco use, covers all lawful activities
|-
| [[North Carolina]]
| 1991
| N.C. GEN. STAT. § 95-28.2
| Not specific to tobacco use, covers all lawful activities
|-
| [[North Dakota]]
| 1993
| N.D. CENT. CODE §§ 14-02.4-01 et seq.
|
|-
| [[Oklahoma]]
| 1991
| OKLA. STAT. ANN. tit. 40, § 500
|
|-
| [[Oregon]]
| 1989
| OR. REV. STAT. §§ 659A.315 & 659A.885
|
|-
| [[Rhode Island]]
| 2005
| R.I. GEN. LAWS § 23-20.10-14
|
|-
| [[South Carolina]]
| 1991
| S.C. CODE ANN. § 41-1-85
|
|-
| [[South Dakota]]
| 1991
| S.D. CODIFIED LAWS § 60-4-11
|
|-
| [[Tennessee]]
| 1990
| TENN. CODE ANN. § 50-1-304
|
|-
| [[Virginia]]
| 1989
| VA. CODE ANN. § 2.2-2902
|
|-
| [[West Virginia]]
| 1992
| W. VA. CODE § 21-3-19
|
|-
| [[Wisconsin]]
| 1991
| WIS. STAT. §§ 111.31 et seq
|
|-
| [[Wyoming]]
| 1992
| WYO. STAT. ANN. §§ 27-9-101 et seq.
|
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.lungusa2.org/slati/smokefree_laws.php State Smoker Protection Laws] - [[American Lung Association]]
* [http://www.lungusa2.org/slati/ Individual State Smoking Laws & Tobacco Control Efforts] - American Lung Association
* [http://www.lungusa2.org/slati/appendixf.php] -American Lung Association
* [http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/labor/employee-off-duty-conduct.aspx Employee Off-Duty Conduct]- National Conference of State Legislatures
* [https://blogs.findlaw.com/decided/2012/11/smoking-not-a-fundamental-right-says-court.html Smoking Not a Right: Federal Court]

[[Category:Smoking in the United States]]
[[Category:Tobacco control]]
[[Category:United States law-related lists]]