It is a sad fact that being a smoker in the 21st Century makes you, in some eyes, a second class citizen. We are fast becoing a minority in society, but unlike other minorites whose rights are protected by government legislation, ours have been thrown out of the window by the same government.

I read an article recently about a company who test potential new employees for nicotine, in the same way as you might test for drugs or alcohol. This is clearly a step too far. Obviously if you are blind drunk, or off your face on pills your judgment and abilty is going to be impaired, The same is not true if you have smoked a cigarette, and the idea of denying someone a job because of an enirely legal habit sickens me.

If someone was denied a job because of sex, race, age, sexuality, or religion then of course there would be some kind of tribunal. The same would not be true of the smoker not allowed to work because of his personal lifestyle choices. The company in question argue that by weeding out smokers they are able to offer better health benefits to their other employees, and that as smoking is a personal choice it is not fair to cut health benefits for people who have chosen not to smoke. Does this mean that they are also weeding out the overweight? Those who do not exercise? By the same argument those who choose to snack on cakes and crisps rather than apples and carrot sticks should not be employed, but of course this will never happen.

We have already had our right to enjoy a cigarette wherever we please taken away from us. Don’t take away our fundamental right to work as well.