News » Releases » 2007 » Sky Lakes - A Tobacco Free Campus
Sky Lakes - A Tobacco Free Campus
May 15, 2007
As a leader in healthcare, Sky Lakes Medical Center’s commitment is to create a healthier community, and a tobacco-free campus is a major step in that direction.
As of May, Sky Lakes Medical Center’s buildings and grounds are tobacco-free zones. That means tobacco use of any kind is prohibited inside and outside our facilities. This applies to employees, physicians, patients, visitors and volunteers.
Please refrain from using tobacco products while on our campus.
“As a leader in the community, as a leading healthcare facility in Oregon and in the region, and as an advocate of ‘doing the right thing,’ it is imperative that we set an example with a no-exception stand against smoking,” said President and CEO Paul Stewart.
The statistics behind the decision are alarming:
• Each year in Oregon, tobacco use kills more than 6,000 people.
• Tobacco claims more lives than motor vehicle crashes, suicide, AIDS, and murders combined.
• Tobacco use cost Oregonians $1.8 billion in 2000. Further, the direct cost to the healthcare system in Oregon was nearly $900 million, and every pack of cigarettes sold costs our economy $7.18 — $3.45 in medical costs and $3.73 in lost productivity due to premature death and disease.
“I want my community to have a healthy, active lifestyle where … we make good lifestyle and nutrition choices,” Paul added. “That’s why we took the bold step we did and put this new policy in place.”
Feedback, please. Please e-mail your questions, comments and feedback regarding Sky Lakes Medical Center’s Tobacco-free Zone to feedback@skylakes.org.
We welcome and encourage feedback from current and former smokers, as well as non-smokers.