SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENT.doc

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INTRODUCTION

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The term smoke free environment is sometimes used indiscriminately to discuss

both 100 percent smoke free areas as well as segregated and ventilated areas. A

truly smoke free environment in a business is one in which no smoking is allowed

within any company building or vehicle. Depending on the company, smoking

may be permitted in certain outdoor areas designated for that purpose. In other

companies, the smoke free policy prohibits smoking on anycompany property.

mployees who smoke must abstain from smoking while at work or must leave

company grounds to smoke. !ther companies allow smoking in special rooms or

areas dedicated to that purpose. "or smoking areas within the building, a special

and separate ventilation system must be installed in order to prevent smoke from

leaking into other areas of the structure.

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Important Reasons to go Smoke Free in workplaces

1.Protects the health and safety of staff and service users

There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) according tothe World Health Organisation (WHO). SHS poses the same health dangers to thoseexposed to it as smoking does to the smoker. The National (ustralian) OccupationalHealth and Safet! "ommission sa!s this is the fundamental reason for its eliminationin the #orkplace.

$ven in outdoor environments% designated smoking areas are rarel! far enougha#a! to protect other non&smoking people from SHS. Studies of air 'ualit! aroundsmoking areas demonstrate that even in outdoor areas the levels of SHS can bedangerousl! high. SHS has particular dangers because the side&stream smoke fromcigarettes contains much higher levels of the carcinogens as smoke inhaled b! thesmoker

Therefore * smoke&free #orkplaces represents best practice. The WorldHealth Organisation (WHO) recognises that partial bans #ith designated smokingareas are not effective in achieving protection from SHS and don+t encourage'uitting.

2.Supports quitting

The sight and smell of others smoking particularl! colleagues% friends etc%is a ma,or trigger to resuming smoking for those tr!ing to 'uit or cut do#n. Smoke&free #orkplaces support people b! not creating additional barriers for staff andservice users to 'uit-cut do#n smoking.

est practice in smoke&free #orkplace environments includes offering a range of


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evidence&based 'uit smoking supports to interested staff and service users topromote 'uitting.

.Prevents the uptake of smoking/

The normalisation of smoking in a range of #orkplace and service environments canencourage the uptake of smoking particularl! b! !oung people. 0ental healthfacilities and prisons are good examples of settings #here people take up smokingas a result of being incarcerated or hospitalised. Other #ork sectors such ashospitalit! and communit! services are further examples of #ork environments#hich foster the uptake of smoking through #orkplace norms i.e. 1onl! break !ou getis the smoko+.

!."ood health promotion practice

$nvironments have a ke! role to pla! in shaping and influencing the behaviours of

individuals. Health enhancing and risk behaviours are not simpl! about individualchoice but are shaped b! the social settings% #orkplaces and communities in #hichpeople live and #ork. "reating supportive environments in #hich people canmaximise their health and #ell being is an essential component of a healthpromoting approach #ithin #orkplaces.

#.Promoting smoke $free environments de%normalises smoking withoutdemonisingsmokers.

Smoke&free cinemas and public transport are great examples #here smoking hasbeen de&normalised% arguabl! #ith universal support. Smoke&free environmentscater for the ma,orit! of people #ho don+t smoke%(more than 2* ustralians don+tsmoke). 3eople are still free to exercise their individual choice to continue smokingbut simpl! asked not to smoke in certain environments i.e.#orkplaces or publicareas #here their smoking could affect others.

4n smoke&free #orkplaces%smokers are restricted to smoking onl! in their personaltime such as unpaid breaks. This further de&normalises smoking b! identif!ing

smoking as a personal behavior that is not compatible #ith the #orkplace.

&.Saves costs for the organisation

Workplace productivit! is improved in smoke&free #orkplaces. There is lessabsenteeism as the health of staff improves% and reduced #asted time #hen staffare restricted to smoking onl! on unpaid time (lunch breaks). Staff morale is alsoimproved #hen the perceived ine'uit! of smoking staff taking additional breaks tosmoke is removed.

Workplace safet! is enhanced because the risks of accidents and in,ur! are

reduced#hen smoking is no longer permitted.


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"leaning and maintenance costs associated #ith smoking are also less.

'.Smoke%free aligns with social (ustice values

Smoking is a social ,ustice issue because rates of smoking among people living #ith

disadvantage are much higher than for other members of the ustralian communit!.3eople #ith multiple disadvantages have the highest rates of all. Smoking is a ma,orreasonfor the disparit! in health bet#een less advantaged and more advantagedciti5ens.

3eople from disadvantaged groups #ho smoke also face more barriers in 'uittingand receive less interest and support from health and communit! services #orkersto 'uit. Smoking is still commonl! seen as a matter of personal choice for peoplefrom disadvantaged groups% as the 1least of their problems+ and secondar! to the1bigger+ issues that underpin disadvantage.When smoking is de&prioritised and isperceived as 1a small pleasure+ or a 1crutch+% smoking among disadvantaged groupscan be inadvertentl! reinforced%and the belief that 'uitting is desirable and possiblefor disadvantaged groups eroded.

Smoking and Death

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

Cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States.This is about one in five deaths.,!,"

Smoking causes more deaths each year than all of these combined#4

o $uman immunodeficiency virus %$&'(

o &llegal drug use

o )lcohol use

o *otor vehicle in+uries

o

irearm-related incidents

*ore than 0 times as many U.S. citiens have died prematurely from cigarette

smoking than have died in all the /ars fought by the United States during its history.

Smoking causes about 01 %or out of 0( of all lung cancer deaths in men and

/omen.,!*ore /omen die from lung cancer each year than from breast cancer.2

)bout 801 %or 8 out of 0( of all deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

%C35( are caused by smoking.

Cigarette smoking increases risk for death from all causes in men and /omen.


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The risk of dying from cigarette smoking has increased over the last 20 years in men

and /omen in the United States.

Smoking and Increased Health Risks

Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.

Smoking is estimated to increase the risk6

o or coronary heart disease by ! to 4 times,7

o or stroke by ! to 4 times

o 3f men developing lung cancer by !2 times

o 3f /omen developing lung cancer by !2. times

Smoking causes diminished overall heath, such as self-reported poor health, increased

absenteeism from /ork, and increased health care utiliation and cost.

Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease

Smokers are at greater risk for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels %cardiovascular

disease(.,!

Smoking causes stroke and coronary heart disease6the leading causes of death in the

United States.

9ven people /ho smoke fe/er than five cigarettes a day can have early signs of

cardiovascular disease.

Smoking damages blood vessels and can make them thicken and gro/ narro/er. This

makes your heart beat faster and your blood pressure go up. Clots can also form.,!

) heart attack occurs /hen a clot blocks the blood flo/ to your heart. :hen this

happens, your heart cannot get enough o;ygen. This damages the heart muscle, and

part of the heart muscle can die.,!

) stroke occurs /hen a clot blocks the blood flo/ to part of your brain or /hen a

blood vessel in or around your brain bursts.,!


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Smokers are ! to " times more likely to die from C35 than nonsmokers.

Smoking and Cancer

Smoking can cause cancer almost any/here in your body#,!%See figure above(


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Smoking can affect bone health.,2

o :omen past childbearing years /ho smoke have lo/er bone density %/eaker

bones( than /omen /ho never smoked and are at greater risk for broken

bones.

Smoking affects the health of your teeth and gums and can cause tooth loss.

Smoking can increase your risk for cataracts %clouding of the eye?s lens that makes it

hard for you to see( and age-related macular degeneration %damage to a small spot

near the center of the retina, the part of the eye needed for central vision(.

Smoking is a cause of type ! diabetes mellitus and can make it harder to control. The

risk of developing diabetes is "0A401 higher for active smokers than nonsmokers.,!

Smoking causes general adverse effects on the body. &t can cause inflammation and

adverse effects on immune function.

Smoking is a cause of rheumatoid arthritis.

Quitting and Reduced Risks

Buitting smoking cuts cardiovascular risks. ust year after Duitting smoking, your

risk for a heart attack drops sharply.!

:ithin ! to 2 years after Duitting smoking, your risk for stroke could fall to about the

same as a nonsmoker?s.!

&f you Duit smoking, your risks for cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and

bladder drop by half /ithin 2 years.!

Ten years after you Duit smoking, your risk for lung cancer drops by half.!

How to Quit Smoking

A Guide to Kicking the Habit fo Good

:hether you?re a teen smoker or a lifetime packAaAday smoker, Duitting can be tough.


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nicotine?s Efeel goodF effect on the brain, you may also have become accustomed to smoking

as a /ay of coping /ith stress, depression, an;iety, or even boredom.

)t the same time, the act of smoking is ingrained as a daily ritual. &t may be an automatic

response for you to smoke a cigarette /ith your morning coffee, /hile taking a break from

/ork or school, or during your commute home at the end of a long day. erhaps friends,family members, and colleagues smoke, and it has become part of the /ay you relate /ith

them.

To successfully Duit smoking, you?ll need to address both the addiction and the habits and

routines that go along /ith it.

Questions to ask yourself

Take the time to think of /hat kind of smoker you are, /hich moments of your life call for a

cigarette, and /hy. This /ill help you to identify /hich tips, techniDues or therapies may be

most beneficial for you.

5o you feel the need to smoke at every mealG

)re you more of a social smokerG

&s it a very bad addiction %more than a pack a day(G 3r /ould a simple nicotine patch

do the +obG

5o you reach for cigarettes /hen you@re feeling stressed or do/nG

)re there certain activities, places, or people you associate /ith smokingG

&s your cigarette smoking linked to other addictions, such as alcohol or gamblingG

)re you open to hypnotherapy andHor acupunctureG

)re you someone /ho is open to talking about your addiction /ith a therapist or

counselorG

)re you interested in getting into a fitness programG

Start your stop smoking plan with STRT

S ! Set a "uit date#

Choose a date /ithin the ne;t ! /eeks, so you have enough time to prepare /ithout losing

your motivation to Duit. &f you mainly smoke at /ork, Duit on the /eekend, so you have a fe/

days to ad+ust to the change.

T ! Tell family$ friends$ and co%workers that you plan to "uit#

=et your friends and family in on your plan to Duit smoking and tell them you need their

support and encouragement to stop. =ook for a Duit buddy /ho /ants to stop smoking as /ell.

Iou can help each other get through the rough times.

! nticipate and plan for the challenges you&ll face while "uitting#


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*ost people /ho begin smoking again do so /ithin the first " months. Iou can help yourself

make it through by preparing ahead for common challenges, such as nicotine /ithdra/al and

cigarette cravings.

R ! Remove cigarettes and other to'acco products from your home$ car$ and work#

Thro/ a/ay all of your cigarettes %no emergency packJ(, lighters, ashtrays, and matches.

:ash your clothes and freshen up anything that smells like smoke. Shampoo your car, clean

your drapes and carpet, and steam your furniture.

T ! Talk to your doctor a'out getting help to "uit#

Iour doctor can prescribe medication to help /ith /ithdra/al and suggest other alternatives.

&f you can@t see a doctor, you can get many products over the counter at your local pharmacy

or grocery store, including the nicotine patch, nicotine loenges, and nicotine gum.

%&&%CTS O& A S'OK% &R%% %N(IRON'%NT ON CUSTO'%RS

The implications of a smoke free environment in small businesses such as restaurants, bars,

and shops also e;tend to customers. or these types of businesses, local and state la/s and

regulations may also be more straightfor/ard. *any states and municipalities already limit or

eliminate smoking in the public areas of these businesses. &n the state of California, for

e;ample, no smoking is permitted in any public establishment. California la/makers alerted

the public of the change si; months prior to implementing this legislation to allo/ businessestime to address the issue in their /orkplace policies and to provide consumers /ith time to get

used to the idea. There also may be legal issues to consider. )ccording to an article in

Business-First Columbus, the Kational Lestaurant )ssociation states that employers can be

held liable if staff members become ill from second-hand smoke.

3ther states reDuire a public establishment to have both smoking and nonsmoking areas

/ithin a restaurant, /ith space and sometimes ventilation reDuirements for each. )s noted

/ith /ork environments, a separate ventilation system may be used to divert smoky air.

:orking /ith local authorities as /ell as revie/ing policies from similar businesses in the

area can help a small business to determine its needs.

&f the institution of a smoke free environment at a small business is not tied to any

governmental regulations or reDuirements that are already kno/n by the general public, a

small business should consider giving advance notice of the ne/ policy to their customers. )

simple posting at the door as /ell as personal verbal or /ritten notice to regular clients can go

a long /ay to ensure customers@ responsiveness and compliance. inally, in cases /here

customers ignore the policy, it is important to courteously but consistently administer it, even

at the risk of losing those customers.

The implementation of a smoke free environment is a comple; process for any small business.


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/ith employees to develop a policy, and communicating the policy regularly to both

employees and customers, a small business can ensure its efforts are successful.

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SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENT.doc