AMC Officially Goes Tobacco Free

    SARANAC LAKE - Medical facilities took a healthy leap forward today (November 15) as Adirondack Medical Center and other North Country hospitals became tobacco-free campuses on the date of the 31st annual Great American Smokeout.
    The regional health-care facilities are joining hospitals throughout the state and nation in taking this step to protect the health and safety of all who enter their grounds by protecting them from the dangers of second-hand smoke. 
    Officials from the AMC, Alice Hyde Medical Center, CVPH, and Meadowbrook Healthcare plus representatives from other agencies including the Adirondack Tobacco Free Network, North Country Tobacco Cessation Center, American Cancer Society and county health departments participated in a press conference held at CVPH.  They emphasized the benefits of being tobacco free and explained some of the measures they are taking to help people cope with the new policy.
    "The decision to participate in this endeavor ultimately came down to protecting the health of our patients," said Chandler M. Ralph, President & CEO of AMC, "But equally important was our obligation to provide the necessary resources for our staff, patients, and visitors to understand and cope with this transition."
    AMC had announced its plan one year ago on the date of the 30th Great American Smokeout.  A multi-disciplinary committee took a year to plan and draft a policy and promote the benefits of going tobacco free internally and within their communities.  Additionally, AMC has gone to great lengths to provide employees, patients, and the community with a wide range of resources to assist in the transition of going tobacco free.
    The Adirondack Tobacco Free Network, North Country Tobacco Cessation Center and American Cancer Society worked with the facilities as part of their individual committees and also coordinated inter-organizational meetings to assist in making a smooth transition to tobacco-free status.
    In justifying the need to promote health and wellness by discouraging tobacco use, health officials cited the following statistics:

* Tobacco use causes one of every five deaths in the United States.

* Smoking-related diseases cost $150 billion annually not including the costs for disease caused by secondhand smoke.

* Secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States trailing only smoking and alcohol use.  An estimated 53,000 deaths occur annually because of secondhand smoke.

    Everyone participating in the press conference agreed that going tobacco free was the right thing to do and was probably long overdue.  They asked for the cooperation of community members in creating tobacco-free environments at their facilities.
    Hospitals in Massena, Ogdensburg and Watertown are also going tobacco free today as part of an initiative supported by the Northern New York Hospital Association. 
    If you or someone you know is interested in learning about tobacco cessation, contact AMC at 897-2274.

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