Tobacco Free Campus

The hospital is an ideal role model for
a healthy environment within our community

• A 100% tobacco-free campus supports protecting patients, employees, and visitors from any exposure to second hand smoke: "Harm Reduction".
• 100% Tobacco-Free assists those trying to quit.
• Increased evidence about danger of 2nd hand smoke in Surgeon General's Report 2006: no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke.
• Important to support Augusta Health's mission: to improve overall health of our communities.

Tobacco Toll on the US

The CDC states:

• Over 438,000 people die each year from their own cigarette smoking
• 26,100 to 73,000 die each year from other's smoking
• 6,000,000+ Youth under 18 alive today who will ultimately die from smoking (at current smoking rates)
• 8,600,000 people alive now but living with a smoking related disease
• Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, MVAs, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined

Costs of Tobacco to Augusta Health

Human resources and maintenance

• Smokers on average miss 6.16 days of work per year due to sickness compared to non-smokers at 3.86.
• Smokers had more hospital admission per 1,000, longer average length of stay (20%) and made 6 more visits to health care facilities.
• Smokers had two times more lost productive time (LPT) per week: $27 billion to employers.
• Businesses pay on average of $2,189 in WC costs for smokers compared to $176 for nonsmokers
  CDC puts a cost of $3,391 on each employee who smokes: $1,760 in lost productivity and $1,623 in excess medical expenditures.
• Elimination of smoking reduced cleaning and maintenance expenses by 10%.

"Providing a space to smoke does not assist patients or employees with quitting or provide a healthier environment. Building and maintaining smoking hut sends a message of approval for smoking"

Cains, T. et al. Designated “no smoking” areas provide partial to no protection from tobacco smoke. Tobacco Control. 2004;13:17-22.

Our Message Is...

• Becoming a smoke-free environment does not mean "smoker-free" or "anti-smoker"
• Welcome people, not smoke
• The key to avoiding misconceptions is an excellent communication plan and offering assistance to tobacco users