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Lower Umpqua Hospital Goes Smoke-Free
by Delaine Humphreys, Family Resource Center

Because Lower Umpqua Hospital is committed to emphasizing, education and demonstrating healthy lifestyles as well as treat illness, starting August 15 it will become a tobacco free campus. Employees, volunteers, patients, visitors, or vendors will not be allowed to use tobacco on hospital grounds. The exception being that employees and visitors may smoke in their own vehicle as long as the vehicle is at least 75 feet from the hospital, EMS, and maintenance shop.

Should a physician determine that a patient would be adversely affected medically by abrupt withdrawal from nicotine, such an order must be placed in the patient chart. Preference will be given to meeting the need for nicotine with nicotine-withdrawal measures, such as the patch, nicotine gum, etc. Upon a physician order, patients will be permitted to smoke outside the facility, away from entrances, in the company of a responsible person.

The Lower Umpqua Hospital Board of Directors expressed support for this change in policy in 2002 after patient complaints about tobacco smoke plus general ongoing concern about health risks related to exposure to secondhand smoke. The Board encouraged the hospital staff to move forward with plans to become tobacco free and set a target date of June 1, 2003. This date was later postponed to allow more study of the policy and time to meet with union representatives. The policy to be implemented August 15 has the support of both employee unions.

For more information, please contact Delaine Humphreys, 271-9700.

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