On Nov. 20, 2008, Blue Mountain Health System will celebrate the “Great American Smokeout” by making all of its campuses and wellness centers smoke-free. This means that in addition to the no-smoking policies already in place at the hospital and all of its off-site locations, all of the grounds will now be smoke-free, including the parking lots.

“The Blue Mountain Health System is committed to providing the healthiest environment for its patients, visitors and employees,” says Andrew Harris, President and CEO. “We chose this course of action after careful consideration. As a healthcare organization, we felt this was the right thing to do.”

Smoking and the use of other tobacco products is the single most preventable cause of death and disease. The encouraging news is that smoking rates decrease when smoking bans are in place.

“It’s our responsibility to provide a healthy environment for our patients, staff and visitors. We can’t do that without addressing the interests of smokers and nonsmokers,” adds Mr. Harris. “We understand how difficult it is to quit smoking.”

To support this important initiative, a smoking cessation program is available through the health system for both community residents and employees. Employees who smoke are being encouraged to investigate the many options available to help them quit.

Plans are being made to assist our visitors with our smoke-free policy by offering items such as nicotine gum. Ongoing support through community programming is also included in the plans.

According to the American Lung Association, secondhand smoke causes about 3,000 deaths each year from lung cancer in nonsmokers. It can also irritate the eyes, nose and throat as well as the lungs.

Watch for upcoming issues of this newsletter for more information or visit our website at www.blmtn.org.