Tobacco Smoking

Smoking by Industry, Occupation, & Gender

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of illness and death in the U.S.^1-4 In a study of U.S. adults, results showed 19.6% of workers smoked overall. Current cigarette smoking was highest among the following groups:

• Workers with less than a high school education (28.4%)
• Workers with no health insurance (28.6%)
• Workers living below the federal poverty level (27.7%)
• Workers aged 18–24 years (23.8%)

Cigarette smoking by industry ranged from 9.7% in education services to 30.0% in mining. For occupations, smoking ranged from 8.7% in education, training, and library to 31.4% in construction and extraction.⁵

Of an estimated 19 million workers in healthcare and social assistance, 16% reported cigarette smoking⁶, while 25.9% of an estimated 9.3 million workers reported smoking in the accommodation and food services sector⁷.

Gender differences for smoking by occupation were examined using 2004-2011 National Health Interview Survey data for working adults 18 years or older. The data showed an estimated 22.8% men and 18.3% women workers were current smokers⁸. Of these workers, 38.9% of women worked as supervisors, and in construction and extraction occupations, while 40.5% of the men worked in extraction occupations. Although, in the healthcare and social assistance sector, more women reported smoking (16.9%) than men (12.6%)⁶.

Workplace Smoke-Free Policies

Legislation that requires non-hospitality workplaces, restaurants, and bars to be completely smoke-free has been adopted by 27 states and the District of Columbia. These statewide comprehensive smoke-free laws, in addition to local comprehensive smoke-free laws, protect 58.7% of the US population.⁹ In 1997, smoking was prohibited in all federal government buildings and in aircrafts by Executive Order 13058 “Protecting Federal Employees and the Public from Exposure to Tobacco Smoke in the Federal Workplace.” In 2008, the General Services Administration (GSA) issued the Federal Management Regulation Amendment 2008- 08 banning smoking in courtyards and within 25 feet of doorways on GSA-controlled properties.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates workplace exposures through 29 CFR 1910.1000 Air contaminants, which does not allow exposures from chemical compounds found in tobacco smoke to exceed certain levels. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) adopted policy 30 CFR 75.1702, which states that persons shall not smoke, carry smoking materials, matches, or lighters underground, or smoke in areas that could cause fire or an explosion. The rule also states that the operator shall establish a program to insure this policy is followed.

Employers can implement company specific smoke-free policies in the absence of, or in addition to legislation. Even with smoke-free laws and policies, one in ten nonsmoking U.S. workers continue to report regular exposure to secondhand smoke while at work.10 Workplace secondhand smoke exposure is more common among men than women, it decreases with age and educational achievement, and is most widespread among blue-collar workers and in industries such as mining and construction.^10,11,12

Exposures are associated with chronic diseases such as lung cancer, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Secondhand smoke can also cause adverse reproductive effects, including low birth weight, when mothers are exposed during pregnancy.¹³

NIOSH Recommendations

Worker health and well-being is an important part of establishing a healthy and safe workforce. Addressing the risks of smoking and tobacco use in the workplace and providing tobacco cessation programs for employees is vital to improve overall health of individuals. A recent NIOSH report, Current Intelligence Bulletin 67: Promoting Health and Preventing Disease and Injury Through Workplace Tobacco Policies, is aimed at preventing occupational illness related to tobacco use and secondhand smoke, while also improving the general health and well-being of workers. In the report, NIOSH recommends that all workplaces become tobacco-free and that employers make tobacco cessation programs available to workers. These recommendations are aimed at protecting workers from the occupational hazards of tobacco and the effects of secondhand exposure to tobacco smoke, and also addresses the use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) or e-cigarettes and emissions from e-cigarettes. NIOSH Director, John Howard, M.D. stated “This Current Intelligence Bulletin marks a half century since the first Surgeon General’s Report on the health consequences of smoking. While cigarette smoking in the U.S. has declined more than 50% among all U.S. adults since then, about 20% of all U.S. workers still smoke and far too many nonsmoking workers are still exposed to secondhand smoke at work.” Howard went on to say “These new recommendations are an important step in reducing the number workers who still face the risks associated with tobacco while on the job.”

References