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| Benefits of Tobacco-Free Environments |
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Tobacco-free campuses protect employees and clients from secondhand smoke, especially those with chronic diseases such as asthma or emphysema. Tobacco-free campuses also help to create a healthier workforce since these rules encourage smokers to quit. Working toward policies that prohibit tobacco use in and around worksites should be a high priority for worksite wellness coordinators and committees.
The Oregon Indoor Clean Air Act [ORS 433.835 - 433.990] already requires most workplaces and public places to be smokefree indoors and within 10 feet of entries/exits, windows that open, and air intake vents, but the law does not cover smokeless tobacco products or workplace campuses beyond 10 feet.
Many organizations provide further protections for their employees and clients by creating entirely smokefree campuses and prohibiting the use of smokeless tobacco.
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| State Employees Support Tobacco-free Worksites |
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From a survey of Oregon state agency employees in 2007:
- 92% of Oregon state agency employees think it is important for the State of Oregon to establish tobacco-free buildings and grounds.
- 68% of Oregon state agency employees who smoke think it is important for the State of Oregon to establish tobacco-free buildings and grounds.
- Oregon state agency employees who smoke are twice as likely to miss work three or more days per month due to poor physical or emotional health than Oregon state agency employees who do not smoke.
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| Secondhand Smoke is a First-rate Killer |
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Secondhand smoke (SHS) contains more than 43 cancer-causing agents and many other toxins, including formaldehyde, cyanide, carbon monoxide and arsenic. According to the US Surgeon General, there is no safe level of exposure to SHS.
SHS is responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths and tens of thousands of coronary heart disease deaths among people who have never smoked in the US. In Oregon alone, tobacco use causes 22% of all deaths—over 6000 people a year—while SHS causes an estimated 800 deaths annually.
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| Key Steps in a 100% Smokefree or Tobacco-free Worksite Policy |
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Key steps in a 100% smokefree or tobacco-free worksite policy include:
- Gaining support from leadership - an essential step that may take some time
- Forming a workgroup to develop the policy language
- Establishing a timeline to introduce, adopt, communicate, and implement the policy
- Providing management and staff trainings on systems, roles and responsibilities
- Communicating the "why and how" of the policy through worksite publications and/or community media
- Providing systematic assistance with cessation through employee benefits, and/or patient or client support
- Monitoring and supporting implementation
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| A Variety of Resources are Available to Assist Workplaces |
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A variety of resources are available to assist workplaces through this process, beginning with the local Health Department Tobacco Prevention and Education Program.
To find your local Tobacco Prevention and Education Program, visit the DHS/TPEP website at: http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/tobacco/partners.shtml
and select “Contractors and Grantees”
Recommended online resources with model policies, timelines, communication strategies and other implementation tips can be found at:
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| Additional Steps to Support Employees |
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As part of a comprehensive campaign, it is important to provide information and resources to employees to support tobacco-free lifestyle choices.
Publicizing and promoting cessation resources offered through Oregon’s Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) is key. All state of Oregon employees have access to a complete cessation program, including medication and counseling, through their health plans and Free & Clear, which is a telephone cessation support service.
- More information about cessation benefits can be found at http://www.oregon.gov/DAS/PEBB/2008benefits/freeclear.shtml.
- Employees can also call the Oregon Tobacco Quit Line to learn about their benefits and access the Free & Clear cessation counseling by calling: 1-800-QUIT-NOW or 1-877 2 NO FUME (Spanish).
Promote smokefree homes and cars in order to support employees’ quit attempts and help employees keep their families tobacco-free. Free campaign toolkits, including Smokefree Home Pledges, are available through the Environmental Protection Agency at: http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/.
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| Training Material |
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