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MU Health Care To Stop Hiring Nicotine Users

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One of Missouri's largest employers will no longer hire nicotine users.

As of January 1, 2015, MU Health Care, the five-hospital University of Missouri health system based in Columbia, Mo., said it won't offer jobs to people who smoke cigarettes, cigars or pipes, chew tobacco or "vape" electronic cigarettes.

The health system made the announcement Thursday to coincide with the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout holiday.

In a statement, CEO Mitch Wasden said he wanted MU Health Care to "lead by example" when it comes to improving the health of patients, communities and the state.  

Current employees are exempt from the rule, but new employees will be tested for nicotine along with other drugs.

With about 5,757 workers, MU Health Care is the 19th-largest employer in the state.

As a health care reporter, I aim to empower my audience to take steps to improve health care and make informed decisions as consumers and voters. I tell human stories augmented with research and data to explain how our health care system works and sometimes fails us. Email me at alexs@kcur.org.
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