Waco, Scott's and other employers are now enforcing a mandatory ultimatum that their employee's become non-smokers or else risk being terminated. With my recent discovery that Scott’s has implemented such a policy, I sat in my garage and had a long cigar next to the 8 40-pound bags that I had just purchased. After finishing the Rocky Patel 1990 (great cigar!), I packed the bags back in my car and returned them from where they were bought – chomping on an unlit cigar the entire time.
Of course there were the usual questioning looks as to what I was doing – until one of the customers asked. I shared with him and his family what I was doing and though he was not a smoker he literally applauded my actions. As I was surprised by the support he gave, I had to ask why the applause. “Let’s just say I’m sick and tired of all the hysteria that has been going on for the past couple of decades in this country. Having the people who govern sovereignties, whether a city, state, country or company, telling me what I can and can not do is nauseating. Having a smoke, glass of wine, eating out - its call a lifestyle. We have had too many soldiers die fighting for our freedoms only to have civil courts and torte laws try to undermine them all.” he said. Our town has taken a stand NOT to be enforcing a smoking ban city wide like the other towns around us for the very same reason. Most everyone in our town supports the allowance that allows us to enjoy our entitlements, including the choice to smoke or not.
Whether it be cigarettes, cigars or smoking a pipe (the legal kind of course!), I have witnessed everyone that I have seen in our city go out of their way to be sure not to offend another with their smoking. There’s a big push around here to snuff out snobbery – something many areas of the country should learn to exercise. As the enveloped has been pushed for medical cost reasons as the excuse to stop their employees from smoking, I am quite sure somewhere and sometime soon those same employers will include being overweight, high blood pressure, diabetes, and the like. And I thought the Orwellian world was a thing of science fiction...
By the way, with the help of his family the gentleman returned his bags of Scott’s to the shelves and bought another brand instead...
Which leaves me with this questions - how many other smokers (cigar or not) will do the same?
You're making a stand by returning lawn care stuff to the store?
******************* "If I had taken my doctor's advice and quit smoking when he advised me to, I wouldn't have lived to go to his funeral." -George burns at age 98
It all starts somewhere. Atleast the guy in the store realized that his rights were being discarded everyday.
"They're not real Cubans. They're Dominicans." Yeah. I'm a little worried. When there's no work, and the people get restless, who do you think they come after?... El Presidente!
Posts: 762 | Location: South Lyon, MI | Registered: February 08, 2007
Not to defend Scott's as I disagree with the policy, but they have a wellness program where employees are given a fitness center, on-site doctors, and an on-site pharmacy at no charge. From a business standpoint, it makes sense to keep your employees healthy rather than trying to treat diseases in the future. Would I work for a company like this? No, not with the no-smoking policy.
The Oncoming Storm
Posts: 337 | Location: Ohio | Registered: February 14, 2007
I wonder if any tobacco farmers use Scotts products on their crops. They must sell stuff for agriculture, wouldn't you think?
Anyway, I sent an e-mail to Scotts letting them know I won't be buying their products anymore.
I'm sure they won't miss me -- I have about 12 square feet of lawn (mostly weeds), a few potted shrubs and five houseplants in various states of demise.
Then again, maybe the problem isn't me...maybe it's those damn Scotts ferilizers and plant foods! Guess I'll be finding out.
Originally posted by Extensioncord: Then again, maybe the problem isn't me...maybe it's those damn Scotts ferilizers and plant foods! Guess I'll be finding out.
LOL, good point
******************* "If I had taken my doctor's advice and quit smoking when he advised me to, I wouldn't have lived to go to his funeral." -George burns at age 98
Thank you for contacting us concerning Scotts products. As always, it is our goal to make sure that our customers are completely satisfied with our products and services.
We appreciate you letting us know about your concern with our new no-smoking policy. Please rest assured that we will pass your comments on to Senior Management.
I am sorry to hear that you will no longer be using our products. It certainly was not the intent of our company to alienate our customers. Our primary motivation for doing this is an effort to control escalating health care costs while improving the long term quality of life for our associates.
You may not be aware, but the smoking policy is only one component of a significant investment we are making in improving our associates' health. These include free doctor care, access to a low cost fitness facility, access to dieticians, free generic prescription drugs, and of course, free smoking cessation programs.
I certainly hope you will reconsider your decision to use our products. Our goal is simply to improve our associates' health and reduce health care costs.
Again, thank you for taking the time to let us know of your concerns. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any additional help to you.
Sharon Newell Consumer Service Representative The Scotts Company and Subsidiaries 14111 Scottslawn Road Marysville, OH 43041
Thanks for the update EC - I think all the things they offer their employees are great, and wish my employer (Warren Buffet) offered a tenth of what is made available to Scott's employees.
Hell I wish I had an employers help when I quit smoking cigs, one of the hardest tasks I ever accomplished. But it doesn't justify telling employees what habits they may have, and which ones they can be terminated for.
I think I will also buy another brand of weed and feed from now on. (I wonder if they hold the CEOs and higher management to the same standards? That is another can of worms, though)
Posts: 222 | Location: South Bend, IN | Registered: October 14, 2006
Apparently Scott's has been receiving enough letters protesting their socialistic approach to smoking as Extensioncord's letter is the same one I received, verbatim...
Overall, Scotts is a great product - I've tried others as well as fertilzer services before, Scott's has been the best overall. Since I will no longer be using Scott's, I'm quite sure my neighbors will be asking what's happened with the once pristine lawn I had. And you can bet my explanation will start off with "Well, let me tell you a story..." :-)
Ahh I just purchased about 30 bags of the sierra red mulch. Nice stuff.
I was wondering how would they know if you used tobacco like say cigars?
I was listening to the radio and heard that some employers are thinking of forbidding the presence of firearms in the cars of employees while they are at work and it is parked on company premises. I think the law is in the works last I heard to allow this at the discretion of the employer.
Originally posted by Cadiell: Ahh I just purchased about 30 bags of the sierra red mulch. Nice stuff.
I was wondering how would they know if you used tobacco like say cigars?
I was listening to the radio and heard that some employers are thinking of forbidding the presence of firearms in the cars of employees while they are at work and it is parked on company premises. I think the law is in the works last I heard to allow this at the discretion of the employer.
How would they be able to find the gun? Random search and seizure? What about probable cause? Where the @*#! is due process?
The risk of kicking butt is you get some crap on your shoe
Yeah how about where is the Freedom everyone is so proud of and that are soldiers are dying to protect. We seem to be more and more free lately... to follow the ever constricting rules and pay our taxes.
When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.
Did I miss one of the ammendments to the Constituiton that stated, Thou cannot do anything that offends thy neighbor? Maybe a list of the individual freedoms we have lost in the last decade alone, is tucked somewhere into the Bill of Rights. We lose our personal liberties everytime we fail to fight for our neighbors free will.
"They're not real Cubans. They're Dominicans." Yeah. I'm a little worried. When there's no work, and the people get restless, who do you think they come after?... El Presidente!
Posts: 762 | Location: South Lyon, MI | Registered: February 08, 2007
First they come for the smokers. Then they come for the fast food partakers. Then those who like technical rock climbing or bungee jumping. You've gotton 3 speeding tickets in the last 2 years? That's a health risk, you're fired. Our records indicate you haven't made it to the gym in the last 2 weeks. You're fired.
