Many USA employers have stopped hiring smokers entirely, both private companies and government agencies.
Bad government policies have created a perverse situation where employees’ health costs literally become the bosses’ business
www.forbes.com
I smoked socially when I was young and up until many decades ago. I still put out a couple nice ashtrays and marble lighters at big parties, when a guest or two might want to take them out on the patio or deck for a smoke. But I think it's entirely appropriate for an employer to not hire smokers; it's just economics at this point.
Quite frankly, I think it would be smart if employers did the same thing with the chronically obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in Covid patients, amonth other diseases. MSNBC said the other day that in the USA in the last 18 months 78% of Covid deaths were patients who were obese. That's a key driver of dying with Covid; obesity. Obesity is a killer in general, but Covid is brutal with obesity.