Memphis-area hospitals, including all Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare facilities, announced they will jointly introduce a new policy establishing all participating hospital campuses as  completely tobacco-free zones. The policy will prohibit the use of all  tobacco products on any hospital property, including parking areas and  previously designated external smoking sites.

The November 15th start date for this initiative was selected to coincide  with the Great American Smokeout®, an annual event sponsored nationally by
the American Cancer Society since 1977. The announcement is being made now  to give people plenty of time to prepare.

Hospital building interiors have been smoke-free since 1991, as required  by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. This
latest action by participating hospitals and health care facilities  extends the boundaries of the smoke-free environment.

"As health care providers, we have an obligation to be role models for  good health to the communities we serve," said Michael Lachina, M.D., chief medical officer for Saint Francis Hospital. "We feel an obligation  to the community to promote and encourage healthy lifestyle choices."

This initiative will affect employees, physicians, patients, volunteers  and visitors. Hospitals plan to provide as much support as possible to  everyone involved. Some hospitals will offer smoking cessation classes,  quitlines staffed by masters-level counselors, or free nicotine  replacement therapy.

Participating hospitals include all Memphis-area Baptist Memorial Health Care facilities, Delta Medical Center, The MED, the Memphis Mental Health
Institute, Saint Francis Healthcare, all Memphis-area facilities in the  Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare system, including Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will designate its  hospital campus as smoke-free. The VA Hospital has participated in the  planning process, is very supportive of this change and may join the initiative at a later date.