PEOPLE

The Southeast Missourian asked people, "Should an employer be allowed to hire only non-smokers?"

Jerolene Forhan: "I don't feel that an employer should tell you not to smoke. There are lots of people who smoke. I am not a smoker, but I feel that it would be discrimination for an employer to do that."

Joe Schlitt: "I don't think employers have the right to do it. It would be great if they could, because smoking is not good for you. However, I think it would infringe on people's rights to do that."

Sandy Ulrich: "I feel that employers should have the right to hire only employees who don't smoke. I feel I have the option to choose whether or not I want to work at a place like that, since I'm a social smoker."

Pat Pennington: "An employer should not be able to hire only non-smokers, just like they cannot say that they would not hire a diabetic or a person with any other illness. This would be discrimination."

Gary Frazier: "We've been fighting discrimination for 200 years, and I think this would be egging it on. If an employer wants only non-smokers, it might be done, but it should not be achieved in this fashion."

Jay Wolz: "I think a company should have that right. It would have lower health-care expenses and greater productivity by employees not leaving to take smoking breaks. At least no smoking on company time."