WTVM.com and WTVM News Leader 9, Columbus, GA | East Alabama Medical Center to ban smoking on campus

East Alabama Medical Center to ban smoking on campus

November 24, 2009

By Chris Vessell bio | email

OPELIKA, AL (WTVM) - The bans on smoking continue, keeping you from lighting up in public. And now one hospital in East Alabama plans to completely ban smoking on its property.

It's just what the doctor ordered, and now hospital's are carrying out those orders. "Most hospitals are going tobacco free. It's the way of the future," Kathie Briggs, East Alabama Medical Center said.

EAMC plans to go smoke free in 2010. "I think its good. Secondhand smoke is right behind smoking," Debbie Forte, an EAMC employee said.

Currently patients and employees are able to smoke in two designated areas. Now the hospital is notifying them that they'll no longer be allowed to smoke on the hospital's property, as of October of next year.

"We need to be the leader in healthcare in our community and this is a step that will put us out in the lead and to show that protecting the health of our employees and our customers is important," Briggs said.

Debbie Forte welcomes the new policy. She's been smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes a day, but now she's trying to quit. "I'm down to a half a pack a day now. I'm just going forward healthwise," she said.

"If they need patches or nicotine replacement therapy, we're going to help them to get that help so that they can be tobacco free while they're on our campus" said Briggs.

Some employees may be able to tough it out through the workday, but the hospital says it's a good opportunity for them to quit all together.

"Giving people a year's notice is enough time so if somebody really wants to quit, then they should be successful by the time the policy is implemented" Briggs said.

No word on how many smokers work at East Alabama Medical Center, but there are currently 2700 people employed at the hospital.