Well, in some countries, companies actually discriminates
against smokers and they are more likely to hire non-smokers. Here
are the reasons given by employers...
In USA
"In our smoking cessation program, staff are required to have been
tobacco-free for at least six months, because this relates directly
to fitness for the job: how can you give smoking cessation advice
credibly with a pack of cigarettes in your pocket? Many US
hospitals and other health care providers have such a
policy."
"In recent years, US employers (for example police and
firefighters) have decided not to hire people who use tobacco,
because of their belief that their staff need to be tobacco free to
operate optimally, and to save money on health costs and pensions.
Many have offered cessation help."
"My employer does not hire smokers. I am pleased that we have this
policy because it shows commitment and integrity in support of our
public health positions. It is also good to be employed in a
smoke-free workplace where my fellow employees do not smell of
tobacco and are not sick from tobacco."
"The US Constitution and federal and state civil rights legislation
protect against discrimination based on race, gender, age, and
disability. There are cogent reasons why some employers might wish
to refuse to hire smokers. I don't condone or condemn such hiring
policies, but I support the employer's right to adopt a policy to
hire only nonsmokers if the employer so chooses."
In UK
"It is a requirement of their job that our staff be non-smokers for
the duration of their period of employment with us. Since we lobby
for public health and against tobacco they could not expect to
convince others of the merits of our case if they weren't convinced
enough themselves not to smoke or to give up."
"The stance I've taken and publicized in job advertisements is in
view of the nature of the work involved, employees are required to
be non-smokers. Interestingly we get applications from smokers who
seek the job as a cessation aid."
"We had a firm that, as part of an international organization, had
a non-smoking policy. It was challenged in a lawsuit, but the
conclusion was that the owner of the firm sets the rules for the
company not the employees."
(Extracted from
https://www.srnt.org/pubs/nl_02_05/policies.html)
In such scenarios, the best solution for smokers is to kick their
habit and stop smoking, for the sake of their own employability,
their own health, and other people's health.
If smokers cannot kick the habit, maybe they can consider looking
for a job in a tobacco company, which is the least likely place
that discriminates against smokers. Haha.
