In accordance with Title 63, the “Smoking in Public Places and Indoor Workplaces Act”, use of tobacco and vapor products are prohibited in or on school property, in school vehicles and at school-sponsored events, childcare facilities, retail stores and recreational and cultural facilities; smoking restrictions are required in private workplaces, restaurants and casinos/gaming establishments (tribal establishments are exempt); use of tobacco or vapor products prohibited on all government properties leased, owned, or contracted for use by the state; possession and use of tobacco and vapor products is prohibited on the grounds of comprehensive community addiction recovery centers, mental illness service programs, gambling treatment programs, community mental health centers, substance related and addictive disorder treatment, and opioid treatment programs. Stand-alone bars and cigar lounges that are the only business in the building, bingo halls during charitable game events, and retail tobacco stores are exempt; hotels and motels are allotted no more than 25% of the total guest rooms to allow smoking.
Oklahoma acknowledges the traditional and sacred use of tobacco among Native American/American Indian people living in Oklahoma.
Smoke-Free Workplaces
Oklahoma state law allows every private business, local jurisdiction or other organization to adopt a voluntary smoke free policy. Sample policies are available in the Resources section near the bottom of this page.
- One-fifth of employed U.S. adult nonsmokers are exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) in the workplace.
- Most employed adults believe indoor areas of workplaces should be smoke free.
- Nearly one-fourth believe outdoor areas should be smoke free.
Attitudes around smoking in the workplace demonstrate an interest in a protected environment.
Smoking costs Oklahoma businesses $5,816 per smoker per year.
— Tobacco Stops With Me
Some real costs of smoking:
There are two types of employer costs to consider that are caused by tobacco use in the workplace.
- Direct Costs
- Indirect Costs
- Direct costs are those dollars spent on health services.
- Direct costs include payments made by the company for healthcare benefits, disability and workers’ compensation.
- Indirect costs are expenses not immediately related to treatment of disease.
- Indirect costs include lost wages, lost workdays, costs related to using replacement workers, overtime expenditures, productivity losses related to absenteeism and productivity losses of workers on the job.
- Smokers on average have about twice as many absences (6.16 days for smokers, 3.86 days per year for non-smokers), often due to smoking-related illnesses. This leads to more medical expenses and decreased productivity and morale.
- Employees who take four 10-minute smoking breaks a day actually work one month less per year than workers who don’t take smoking breaks.
- On average, tobacco users cost drug plans two times as much as non-tobacco users.
- Since smokers have higher death rates than nonsmokers, some insurance companies offer discounts on premiums for term life insurance coverage for non-smokers. The more workers that smoke, the fewer discounts.
- Smokers can cost you additional money per year for smoking-related accidents and injury, due to increased workers’ compensation costs. (Approximately $2,189 for smokers and $176 for non-smokers).
Smoking places a significant financial burden on Americans, as smoking-attributable healthcare spending exceeds $170 billion per year.
— U.S. Surgeon General's Report
- The CDC reports that smokers cost employers about $3,400 per year in direct medical costs and lost productivity.
- A national study based on American Productivity Audit data of the U.S. workforce found that tobacco use was one of the greatest causes of lost worker production time (LPT) — greater than alcohol consumption, family emergencies, age or education.
Smoke-free workplaces protect employees from preventable danger.
- Exposure to secondhand smoke from burning tobacco products causes stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults.
- Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, middle ear disease, more severe asthma, respiratory symptoms and slowed lung growth.
- Secondhand smoke exposure contributes to approximately 41,000 deaths among non-smoking adults and 400 deaths in infants each year.
We have all heard about the dangers of secondhand smoke. However, we sometimes do not consider secondhand smoke in the workplace to be a source of irritation and danger.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, there is no acceptable level of secondhand smoke.
It is important to note that exposure to any amount of secondhand smoke is dangerous.
Smoke-free workplaces are good for business.
- A smoke-free workplace reduces the risk of lung cancer for smokers and for those exposed to secondhand smoke (exposure increases the risk of lung cancer by 12-19 percent).
- Being smoke-free reduces the risks of heart disease, stroke, and upper respiratory infections.
- A smoke-free workforce helps your company’s bottom line since employees who smoke cost their employers significantly more in medical expenditures, property insurance and workers’ compensation than nonsmoking employees.
- Health insurance rates for nonsmokers are about one-and-a-half times lower than the rates for smokers.
- Smoke-free workplace policies not only protect workers from the health dangers of secondhand smoke, but they result in a more efficient work environment.
- Going smoke-free in the workplace will also:
- Lower cleaning and maintenance expenses (carpets, drapes, ducts, paintwork)
- Lower insurance premiums (fire, medical, worker comp, liability)
- Lower labor costs
Many people have higher levels of exposure to secondhand smoke than they believe, and much of it happens in the workplace. While many workplaces are smoke-free due to a local or state smoke-free law, many other workplaces still allow smoking. Since people spend most of their waking hours at work, smoking in the workplace causes a great deal of harm to both employers and employees.
Health insurance rates for non-smokers are about 1.5 times lower than the rates for smokers.
- Going smoke-free in the workplace will also:
- Lower cleaning and maintenance expenses (carpets, drapes, ducts, paintwork)
- Lower insurance premiums (fire, medical, worker comp, liability)
- Lower labor costs
Many people have higher levels of exposure to secondhand smoke than they believe, and much of it happens in the workplace.
While many workplaces are smoke-free due to a local or state smoke-free law, many other workplaces still allow smoking. Since people spend most of their waking hours at work, smoking in the workplace causes a great deal of harm to both employers and employees.
Certified Healthy Oklahoma
As a smoke-free worksite, you may be interested in a Certified Healthy certification. The Certified Healthy Oklahoma Program is a free, voluntary statewide certification. The certification showcases businesses, campuses, communities, congregations, early childhood programs, restaurants, and schools that are committed to supporting healthy choices through environmental and policy change. These entities are working to improve the health of Oklahomans by implementing elements, policies, and programs that will help Oklahomans eat better, move more, and be tobacco free.
More information on Certified Healthy Oklahoma can be found on their website.
Request Materials
To request decals and/or signage, please visit our Request Materials page.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Public Health Law Center suggests that these specific elements be included into a policy: clear definitions and concise language, a well-crafted implementation process, robust enforcement options, and reasonable penalty and appeals processes.
There are many benefits to implementing a smoke/tobacco-free policy at work. These include:
- Improved air quality
- Reduced exposure to secondhand smoke
- Improved employee health
- Reduced absenteeism
- Lower healthcare and insurance costs
- Increased employee work output and satisfaction
A smoke-free policy refers to prohibiting the use of products that produce smoke, such as combustible cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, etc. A tobacco-free policy includes all types of tobacco and nicotine products to include combustible products and smokeless products. Both types of policies aim towards reducing exposure to secondhand smoke. However, the latter protects the smokeless tobacco user from the dangers associated with tobacco use as well. Tobacco-free policies also help to reduce waste such as discarded cigarette butts, empty vape juice pods, spitting containers, and more. A tobacco-free policy also eliminates any confusion for staff, clients and visitors about what is or is not allowed on property.
Contact Us
For answers to any questions, inquiries, or technical assistance needs, please visit our Contact Us page. Include basic information on what your needs are, if anything is time sensitive, the best way to contact you and include time of day in the comment box and someone will reach out to you within 2-3 business days.
Resources
- Dimensions: Tobacco Free Policy Toolkit (University of Colorado School of Medicine)
- Employee Smoking Costs Employers! Providing Cessation Treatment Saves Money (Quitline NC)
- Quit Smoking For FREE With The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline | OK TSET (okhelpline.com)
- Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General
- Why Businesses Should Be Going Smoke-Free
- Workplaces - American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation | no-smoke.org
Sample policies
Contact Information
Mailing Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Chronic Disease Prevention Services
Tobacco Prevention & Control Program
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-6406
Physical Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK
Email: OnlyAir@health.ok.gov
