http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/category/hospitals.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.atmoreadvance.com/articles/2009/11/21/news/news2.txt http://tobacco.org/news/293098.html Patients entering the ER at Atmore Community Hospital will be able to breath easier beginning Thursday when the campus goes smokefree - indoors and outdoors. The new policy coincides with the Great American Smokeout, a day set aside yearly to urge smokers to quit. "It's a company-wide initiative," ACH Administrator Bill Perkins said. "All of the Baptist Health Cares are going smokefree. Jay Hospital has already implemented the policy." Atmore Advance Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.atmoreadvance.com/articles/2009/11/21/news/news2.txt http://tobacco.org/news/293096.html Patients entering the ER at Atmore Community Hospital will be able to breath easier beginning Thursday when the campus goes smokefree - indoors and outdoors. The new policy coincides with the Great American Smokeout, a day set aside yearly to urge smokers to quit. "It's a company-wide initiative," ACH Administrator Bill Perkins said. "All of the Baptist Health Cares are going smokefree. Jay Hospital has already implemented the policy." Atmore Advance Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Health-trust-relaxes-smoking-rules.5843420.jp http://tobacco.org/news/293074.html HOSPITAL chiefs in Sheffield have defended a decision to provide smoking shelters around their sites, saying a blanket ban had proved too difficult for staff to enforce. Contractors have been putting up the shelters in several locations on sites run by the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Signs are currently displayed which say smoking is banned and inform people they are breaking the law unless they leave hospital grounds before lighting up. But yesterday deputy chief nurse Richard Parker said the rules would be relaxed to encourage people to smoke in the shelters and move them away from other locations. Yorkshire Post UK Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.theolympian.com/politicsblog/story/1041508.html http://tobacco.org/news/293007.html Smokers for a long time have been unwelcome in or near the doors of public areas, including state agencies. But the new decree announced today (Wednesday) means that beginning in mid-May, visitors and state employees cannot use smokeless tobacco, cigarettes and other tobacco products at the state Department of Health's headquarters and campus in Tumwater. A similar rule is in effect at the state's Public Health Lab in Shoreline, and next year it will apply to DOH's four buildings, parking lot, parking garage and grounds in Tumwater. The Olympian Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=11532939 http://tobacco.org/news/293003.html Hospitals across southwest Florida are banning smoking completely. It's impacting more than just employees, like Adrienne Jones. She used to smoke a pack a day. "Our lunch hour, smoke as many as you can instead of eating," admits Jones. That attitude stopped a year ago when her 42-year old husband, also a smoker, suffered a heart attack. "It was sudden," said Jones. "We didn't expect it, we didn't know he had a bad heart." Health concerns are the main reason her employer, Lee Memorial Health System, is installing a tobacco ban on all their properties starting November 19. WBBH NBC2 support@nbc-2.com Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.observertoday.com/page/content.detail/id/532423.html?nav=5047 http://tobacco.org/news/293002.html In conjunction with The Great American Smoke Out, an annual event aimed at helping people quit smoking, Westfield Memorial Hospital will become a tobacco-free campus today. According to a press release from the hospital, the new policy will prohibit the use of any type of tobacco product such as cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing tobacco anywhere on the hospital's grounds, and the policy will affect all employees, physicians, visitors, patients, volunteers, vendors and other medical staff. "As a healthcare provider, we were going to do it for a year, but we had so many changes with the Berger Commission that we didn't want to do it until now," said Tina Newell, a community educator at Westfield Memorial Hospital. Dunkirk Observer Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/11/smoking_ban_at_onondaga_county.html http://tobacco.org/news/292984.html Syracuse, NY -- It appears as if Onondaga County's ban on smoking within 100 feet of hospital property is working at Crouse and Upstate University hospitals, which implemented it this morning. There are bright yellow signs announcing the ordinance on the sides of the buildings and on fences. While cigarette butts line the sidewalks of those hospitals like the aftermath of long-gone parties, there were no smokers to be found near the hospitals this morning. A drive around the hospitals at 8:15 a.m. uncovered no smokers. A block away, seven smokers were found an hour later in a private parking lot behind Varsity Pizza on Crouse Avenue. The lot is surrounded by buildings and not visible from the street. Syracuse Post-Standard Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/11/syracuse-area_hospitals_enforc.html http://tobacco.org/news/292982.html Four Syracuse hospitals are using today's Great American Smokeout to kick off their enforcement of a new Onondaga County law that forbids smoking within 100 feet of a health care facility. The law, which went to effect Nov. 1, affects Upstate University, St. Joseph's. Crouse and Community General hospitals. Smoking is prohibited on any sidewalks, streets and parking facilities within 100 feet of those facilities as long as a sign is posted that warns of the ban. Those caught breaking the law could be fined $50. The hospitals, which lobbied the County Legislature to pass the law, delayed enforcing it until the annual Great American Smokeout to Syracuse Post-Standard Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/guernsey/8368011.stm http://tobacco.org/news/292980.html A smoking ban outside hospitals in Guernsey is being discussed by the Health and Social Services Department. The current policy only permits smoking outside buildings, with the exception of staff accommodation and those in continuing care and residential homes. Director of public health Dr Stephen Bridgman said it exposes others to second-hand smoke. He said: "Smoking remains the major cause of premature death and ill health in the Bailiwick." BBC Online Guernsey Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.ocala.com/article/20091119/articles/911191008&tc=yahoo?tc=autorefresh http://tobacco.org/news/292979.html The idea of lighting up in the parking lot of Marion County's two largest hospitals got snuffed out when Munroe Regional Medical Center and Ocala Health became tobacco-free campuses today. The two hospitals, which chose today's Great American Smokeout to launch the ban, are now part of a consortium of more than 70 smoke-free Florida hospitals. Both hospitals had tried for years to make the change, but a gentle push from a local doctor and management brought the project to fruition. Dr. Dante Raju, who still remembers when doctors smoked inside hospitals, said he brought the issue to the fore. Ocala Star-Banner Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.winknews.com/news/local/70450882.html http://tobacco.org/news/292978.html A smoking ban begins today across Lee Memorial Health System. As of November 19th, all forms of tobacco, including cigarettes and smokeless tobacco like chewing products and dip are prohibited on all properties owned and leased by Lee Memorial Health System. During this year’s Great American Smokeout, many other local employers went tobacco free in order to promote a healthier environment WINK-TV Channel 5 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.theolympian.com/stategovernment/story/1041766.html http://tobacco.org/news/292976.html The Washington State Department of Health will ban smoking and other use of tobacco on its main work campus in Tumwater effective Feb. 16. Secretary of Health Mary Selecky notified agency employees of the policy change Wednesday, according to a news release. The Olympian /personas?plckUserId=@Nyx.Key Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.marinij.com/ci_13821488?source=rss http://tobacco.org/news/292974.html Two Marin hospitals have chosen Thursday, the date of the 34th Great American Smokeout, as the day to initiate a total ban on smoking on their campuses. It has been years since anyone was allowed to smoke inside either Novato Community Hospital or Kentfield Rehabilitation and Specialty Hospital. Beginning Thursday, those two hospitals will begin enforcing a campus-wide ban on smoking that will include property inside and outside buildings, including parking lots and vehicles in parking lots. State law banned smoking from all workplaces in 1995. To demonstrate that it means business, Novato Community Hospital on Wednesday removed its last refuge for employees and hospital visitors who smoked, a three-sided structure affectionately known as the "smoking shack." Marin Independent Journal rhalstead@marinij.com ( Richard Halstead) Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/535515.html http://tobacco.org/news/292967.html To further expand its smoke-free environment, Susquehanna Health has adopted a new policy that prohibits the hiring of smokers and other tobacco users. Health system officials and legal experts noted the policy, to take effect Jan. 1, is perfectly legal under state law. It affects every position within the health system. "In Pennsylvania, tobacco users are not a protected class under the law," explained health system spokeswoman Tracie Witter. "So prohibiting the hiring of tobacco users is not discrimination." Everyone who seeks health system employment must apply online, Witter noted. At that time, they are made aware of the policy. Williamsport Sun-Gazette mreuther@sungazette.com (MIKE REUTHER) Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/business/health_med_fit/article/SMOK19_20091118-222603/306674/ http://tobacco.org/news/292966.html Employees, patients and visitors smoked their last cigarettes at Henrico Doctors' and Bon Secours Richmond hospitals yesterday. Using today's Great American Smokeout campaign as a kickoff point, the hospitals are becoming tobacco-free campuses inside and out. HCA Inc.-owned Henrico Doctors' campuses going smoke-free today include Retreat, Forest and Parham. HCA's Chippenham and Johnston-Willis hospitals went tobacco-free in 2008. John Randolph will go smoke-free later. The Bon Secours Richmond's hospitals banning all tobacco products inside and out are Memorial Regional, Richmond Community, St. Francis and St. Mary's. Richmond Times-Dispatch tlsmith@timesdispatch.com (Tammie Smith) Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT