Wellstar to Become Tobacco-Free Environment Jan. 1

Don't count on smoking those cigars to celebrate the birth of your child or puffing on those cigarettes as you wait to find out some important health news from doctors. WellStar Health System, including Austell's , will become a tobacco free environment effective Jan. 1 in an effort to become a healthier environment for its patients and employees.

After this date, no tobacco use of any kind will be permitted anywhere on WellStar property. All designated smoking areas at WellStar facilities will be eliminated.

“WellStar is joining hospitals across the United States in an effort to become 100 percent tobacco free,” said Reynold J. Jennings, president and CEO of WellStar in. “As healthcare providers, we know the detrimental effects of tobacco use and secondhand smoke.  We believe we must set an example for our community.”  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco remains the number one preventable cause of death and disability in the world. WellStar believes eliminating tobacco use is a demonstration of its ongoing commitment to healthy living. Cigarette smoking accounts for nearly one of every five deaths each year in the United States. It increases the risk of:
• coronary heart disease by two to four times
• stroke by two to four times
• men developing lung cancer by 23 times and women by 13 times
• dying from chronic obstructive lung diseases (such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema) by 12 to 13 times  

“As healthcare professionals, it is difficult to advise patients on the inherent dangers of smoking if they can look out the window and see our own employees smoking,’” said Kenneth “K.C.” Kunze, M.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer for WellStar, in a release. “We care about the health of our team members and this tobacco-free environment initiative is part of a larger wellness initiative now being launched at WellStar.”

Beginning last year, WellStar began preparing its facilities and team members to make this transition. WellStar team members who use tobacco products are being provided resources such as nicotine replacement therapy, cessation classes, behavior modification counseling and a QUIT phone line to help them kick the habit.  New signage is being posted at all facilities and all smoking locations will be eliminated by the end of the year.  In addition, processes to assist patients who smoke have been put in place to help alleviate nicotine withdrawal issues.   

Residents of the WellStar hospice, nursing home and assisted-living facility are excluded from this policy.