Hospitals | Healthcare Organizations |Businesses | Religious Organizations | Youth | Athlectic Parks | Colleges and Universities
-
"We have had a remarkably easy transition into our tobacco-free.Thanks Georgia and Melva for your assistance and support. So far, so good with us. We have really not had any challenges thus far to our policy and very positive input from our employees. Several employees have commented that they are amazed that they were able to kick their long-term use of cigarettes."
- -Joel Groce, VP of Administration, MedCost
Hospitals as Community Leaders
PowerPoint Presentation PDF
Healthcare Organizations
On January 1, 2008, Oak Summitt, a skilled nursing facility, will become the first healthcare organization in North Carolina to become tobacco-free campus wide on their own accord. The Healthy Hospital Initiative will extend its reach beyond hospitals, to help all healthcare organizations to become tobacco-free campus wide.
Businesses
WFUBMC in Winston Salem went tobacco-free campus wide in July 2007 prompting and supporting other businesses in the area to follow suit
The Story of MedCost
- Announced 4 months in advance the decision to become tobacco-free property wide on January 1, 2008 to help prepare employees
- Conducted employee survey to determine which quitting medicines or support methods were appropriate for their workforce
- Offered NRT patches at no cost with proof of enrollment in a quitting support system (NC Quitline or other resource)
- Offered other quitting medicines at reduced co-pay (Chantix, Zyban etc)
- 16 out of 250 employees are using the patch to try and quit (of an expected 50 tobacco users assuming a 20% tobacco use rate)
- Greatly improved employee morale
- Employees astounded they were able to quit their long term use of cigarettes
- Barry Brown, Manager of Human Resources described their easy transition as “uneventful”
"We were delighted at the positive response from both tobacco users and non-tobacco users. Many long term users said this is what they needed to make that long needed change to be tobacco-free."
- Barry Brown, Manager of Human Resources, MedCost
Religious Organizations
Some religious organizations are adopting tobacco-free church ground policies. Signage and educational materials help inform and educate members.
Athlectic Parks
Many athletic parks are also becoming tobacco-free campus wide. The Durham Bulls stadium, and the Greensboro Coliseum are now tobacco-free campus wide.
Colleges and Universities
The Tobacco-Free Colleges Initiative has awarded grants to 20 organizations working on close to 60 college campuses across the state. Click here to see a list of grantees. 100% tobacco-free campus policies have been developed at Barber Scotia University, Gardner-Webb University, Wilson Technical Community College and College of the Albemarle, and Bennett College. UNC Chapel Hill became a tobacco-free campus on January 1, 2008. See the letter from the chancellor.
