West Texas Rehab Center is a nicotine-free employer. All individuals who receive a job offer from WTRC will be screened for cotinine, a by-product of nicotine, as part of the regular drug screening process. The level of cotinine present in the body can determine whether an individual is a primary tobacco user or is being exposed to tobacco through other means, such as second-hand smoke. Under this policy, offers of employment will be rescinded for individuals who test positive for levels of cotinine. Applicants who fail the cotinine test may re-apply after 90 days.
This nicotine-free hiring policy reinforces our culture of prevention and wellness for employees, patients, and the community. This is our way of leading by example and serving as a community role model for good health behaviors.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, cigarette smoking costs the United States more than $193 billion each year; $97 billion in lost productivity plus $96 billion in health care expenditures. Smoking is responsible for about one in five deaths annually in the U.S., about 443,000 deaths per year with an estimated 49,000 of these smoking-related deaths the result of secondhand smoke exposure.
