Thompson Health is dedicated to improving the health of the community we serve. By becoming completely smoke free, we are furthering this mission, and in doing so, we are setting an example of wellness and prevention that is important to the health of our patients, Associates and community.

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. Here are a few other facts:

• About 438,000 people die each year from smoking related diseases. This is more than all alcohol, cocaine, crack, heroin, homicide, suicide, car crash, fire, and AIDS deaths together.
• In New York State, about 25,500 adults die annually from smoking.
• Smoking costs the U.S. nearly $150 billion each year in healthcare and other expenses.
• Secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death behind active smoking and alcohol abuse.

In addition, many patients are unaware of how smoking affects their ability to recover from illness and surgery.  Some of the effects of smoking include:

• Patients who smoke before surgery have a higher rate of infection than nonsmokers.
• Smoking slows healing after surgery.
• Smokers’ broken bones take a longer time to heal than nonsmokers’ bones.

By making our environment entirely smoke free, we are addressing the number one health risk today. We hope this new policy will educate and remind our faculty, staff, patients and the community about the health risks linked with smoking.

Our previous No Smoking policy prohibited smoking inside all Thompson Health facilities, but allowed patients, visitors and staff to smoke in designated areas outside the buildings. This new policy, which is planned to take effect November 15, 2007, will prohibit smoking within Thompson Health buildings and Thompson Health grounds.

Yes. The policy applies to all Thompson Health facilities, Family Practices, and Ferris Hills at West Lake.