OGDEN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - A big announcement from several hospitals in Davis and Weber Counties. They are going tobacco-free as of January 1, 2011.
Tobacco is a leading cause of cancer and other illnesses. And, because hospitals are a place of healing, they say a tobacco-free environment sends a strong message.
Smoking inside hospitals has been banned for quite a while. The new ban extends to outside as well on hospital campuses and affiliated clinics of McKay-Dee Hospital Center in Ogden, Davis Hospital and Medical Center and Tanner Clinic in Layton, Ogden Regional Medical Center and Brigham City Community Hospital.
"I really think it's time we take the next step and make our campuses really healthy places because there's no question that cigarette smoke, even if you're inhaling somebody else's smoke, is hazardous to your health," says Dr. Richard Arbogast, Executive Director of McKay-Dee Hospital.
"One would think that the hospitals should have taken this step perhaps years ago. But, I think it speaks to the complexity of working with so many different groups of people... patients, employees and the public," says Gary House, Executive Director of the Weber Morgan Health Department.
The announcement was made Thursday because it is the 35th anniversary of 'The Great American Smokeout'. That's a day set aside by the American Cancer Society to challenge smokers to give it up, at least for a day.
Patients and employees of the hospitals are encouraged to call the Utah Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUITNOW to talk to a personal quit coach about nicotine replacement therapy and how to get started on a tobacco-free future.
