Employers ponder tough tactics to halt smoking (spouse can't smoke either, random testing mandatory)

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 6/17/08 | Victoria Colliver

[LibWhacker]

Howard Weyers tried the "carrot" approach by giving his employees incentives and encouragement to quit smoking. But when that didn't work, he resorted to the stick. A big stick.

Weyers, owner of a health care benefits administrator in Lansing, Mich., gave his 200 employees an ultimatum in 2004: Quit smoking in 15 months or lose your job. He refused to hire smokers. Ultimately, he extended his smoking ban to employees' spouses and monitored compliance through mandatory random blood testing.

Weyers' method, while effective, wouldn't fly in California because the state has laws that prohibit employers from making hiring or firing decisions based on employee participation in a legal activity. But participants in a smoking cessation forum hosted Monday by the Commonwealth Club of California found the idea nonetheless intriguing.

[TexasGunLover]

I find it peculiar that you prefer to defend the private rights of corporation over the private rights of an individual.

They are not in conflict. They are equal and one in the same. In a free market, profit will drive those to conduct business in a profitable way.

In your example, if all of the businesses joined together and made a decision that did not work in the market, other businesses would pop up and fill the need.

Welcome to the free market, it works in all cases!