BCH kicks butts

BONNERS FERRY—Boundary Community Hospital is  “walking the walk”  by leading the community to health with a tobacco-free facility.

Effective Jan. 1, BCH employees, contractors, visitors, patients and their families will not be permitted to use tobacco on hospital grounds.

BCH believes by implementing the new policy they are creating  a more safe, healthy and professional environment for the community of Boundary County.  

The idea is not new to the hospital, as discussions on the subject have been taking place for several years. In July, the board of trustees at BCH approved the tobacco policy change to go into effect in January.

“We are making this change to support a healthy environment for our patients, our staff and visitors to our facilities,”  said Craig Johnson, CEO of BCH.

By setting the date for the policy to take effect in January, it has allowed a six-month lead time for employees to take advantage of programs designed to help them quit using tobacco.

BCH has provided as many resources as possible to assist employees who use tobacco with this transition to a tobacco free facility.

“We don’t single anyone out but we think statistically we have near 30 to 40 employees who smoke, said Tina Wilson, community relations specialist. “A lot of people have been taking advantage of the programs we offer for quitting.”

This change in policy will not affect the residents of the  Extended Care Facility.  The ECF is their home and they will be allowed to continue to smoke in the designated areas.  However, any resident admitted after the Jan.1,  will be informed of the tobacco free policy.

 According to Wilson, becoming a tobacco-free organization is rapidly becoming the standard for many health care institutions and companies in Idaho.  Locally, Panhandle Health District and Bonner General Hospital are tobacco-free.  According to Wilson Kootenai Medical Center will begin their status as a tobacco-free facility on Thursday Nov. 18, which is National Great American Smoke Out Day. She also said the end of 2011, all north Idaho hospitals will be tobacco-free. 

Individuals who would like to stop using Tobacco should contact the “Idaho Quit Now” free program.  More information about the program is available at www.idahoquitnet.com or call 800-quit-now (800-784-8669).

Call Tina Wilson, Community Relations Specialist at 267-3141, ext. 324 if you have any questions about this new tobacco free policy.

Side bars…..

National Great American Smoke Out

• According to the American Cancer Society the purpose of the Great American Smoke Out is to set aside a day to help smokers quit smoking and quit using tobacco products for the day with the hope that they will quit completely.  Not only does the event challenge people to stop using tobacco, it helps to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking and the many effective ways available to quit smoking permanently.

• The great American Smoke Out is held on the third Thursday of every November.

• The first nationwide Great American Smoke Out was held in Novemeber 1977.

• An estimated 47 million Americans smoke and about half will die prematurely from diseases related to smoking.

• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for men and women.  More than 80 percent of lung cancers are related to smoking.

The Great American Smoke Out has helped to spotlight the dangers of tobacco use and the challenges of quitting, but more importantly, it has set the stage for the awareness in tobacco control that has occurred over this period.

• Because of  anti-tobacco efforts, there have been significant landmarks in the areas of research, policy, and the environment:

• In 1977, Berkeley, California became the first community to limit smoking in restaurants and other public places.

• In 1983, San Francisco passed the first strong workplace smoking restrictions, including bans on smoking in private workplaces.

• In 1990, the federal smoking ban on all interstate buses and domestic flights of six hours or less took effect.

• In 1994, the state of Mississippi filed the first of 24 state lawsuits seeking to recuperate millions of dollars from tobacco companies for smokers' Medicaid Bills.

• In 1999, the Department of Justice filed suit against cigarette manufacturers, charging the industry with defrauding the public by lying about the risks of smoking.

• In 1999, the Master Settlement Agreement was passed, requiring tobacco companies to pay $206 billion to 45 states by the year 2025 to cover Medicaid costs of treating smokers. The MSA agreement also closed the Tobacco Institute and ended cartoon advertising and tobacco billboards.

• In 1999, Los Angeles officially goes smoke free.

• 2003, New York City goes smoke free.

• In 2007, Chicago, Ill.  goes smoke free.