Cumberland Medical Center announced earlier this month plans to implement a new tobacco-free policy at all its facilities and its campus for patients, visitors, and employees effective Monday, March 1, 2010.
Hospital leaders say the new policy reflects its mission: “We are eliminating tobacco-use on our campus to provide a healthy and safe environment for employees, patients, and visitors and to promote positive health behaviors,” said Dr. Barry Wagner, president-elect of Cumberland Medical Center.
The new policy bans the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco, within all properties owned, leased, or occupied by Cumberland Medical Center. This includes parking lots, hospital vehicles, and employees’ personal vehicles parked on the premises. Employees have been prohibited from using tobacco products during working hours since January 1, 2010.
The U.S. Surgeon General’s Office in 1964 declared that smoking is hazardous to an individual’s health. Yet smoking remains the number one cause of preventable death and disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Furthermore, three-fourths of all tobacco-users say they want to quit. Dr. Wagner recognizes the challenges of breaking the addiction to nicotine and respects the individual’s quitting process he states. “We are not telling anyone, ‘you must quit smoking.’ We are saying, ‘Don’t use tobacco at our hospital.’ While you are a patient or visitor at this hospital, we can suggest ways to ease nicotine withdrawal symptoms and if you are ready to quit, we have trained professionals and community partners who can help you.”
Cumberland Medical Center hopes hospital employees will help inform visitors and patients about the new policy, said Dr. Wagner. “This will not be easy,” he said, “but it’s central to our continuing efforts to make Cumberland Medical Center an excellent place to work and receive health care.” In implementing the new tobacco ban, Cumberland Medical Center joins several hospitals across East Tennessee who have gone tobacco free or are going tobacco free within the next year. In an effort to make sure everyone is aware of the upcoming tobacco ban, the hospital is utilizing newspaper, radio, and outdoor advertising to get the message out to the public. If you have concerns or suggestions about CMC’s Tobacco-Free Campus, you may call 459-7665 and leave a message.
