Cigarette smokers would get a huge blow as the online job ads have now started to specify that cigarette lovers need not apply. This has also sparked off a debate on the social and personal front and how much can a company infringe upon. The experts have been pondering upon whether it is discrimination on the basis of personal choice or just done to protect the health of the workers.

The jobs that have been published online have requested only non-smokers for the posts ranging from drivers to personal trainers, publishers, disability workers and receptionists. There are many people who have been lobbying for this stating that it promotes healthy lifestyle and employers like hospitals and health organizations have no need to employ smokers.

But there are people like acting Victorian Equal Opportunity Commissioner Karen Toohey who has been very categorical in stating that there should not be any discrimination. She said, “Stipulating smokers need not apply for a job may be against the law. Employers should not seek to exclude smokers from applying for a position, unless the need not to smoke is an inherent requirement of the role”. The reason might be anything but the smokers would now have to choose between a job and smoking.