TobaccoFree Campuses: Tobacco Cessation Programs at Work

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Tobacco-Free Campuses Tobacco Cessation
Programs at Work

• Marci Nelson, BS, CHES
• Tobacco Prevention and Control Program
• Utah Department of Health
• marcinelson_at_utah.gov
• [phone]

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Objectives

• Present the benefits of a tobacco-free workplace
• Provide information on available cessation
  services
• Discuss seven key steps in developing and
  implementing a tobacco-free policy
• Discuss strategies in enforcing and maintaining a
  tobacco-free policy

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Tobacco Health Effects

• Long-term
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Lung function
• Cancers
• Ulcer
• Infertility

• Short-term
• Respiratory illness
• Decreased lung capacity
• High blood pressure cholesterol
• Nervousness
• Mouth problems
• Reduced taste smell

Responsible for more than 440,000 premature
deaths each year in the United States.
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Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke

• Stillbirth miscarriage
• Premature Birth
• Cleft palates and lips
• Sudden Infant Death
• Infertility
• Tooth Decay

• Cancer
• Bronchitis pneumonia
• Asthma
• Upper Respiratory Disease
• Ear Infections
• Coughs

Secondhand smoke affects loved ones is a
powerful motivator to quit!
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Keep Your Business Healthy Utah Tobacco-Free
Workplace Toolkithttp//www.tobaccofreeutah.org/s
hsworksitekit.pdf

• Use your companys health plan to help employees
  and their families quit tobacco.
• Encourage use of free tobacco cessation services
  such as the Utah Tobacco Quit Line and Utah
  QuitNet
• Develop and maintain tobacco-free worksite
  policies.

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Perspectives from Three Companies

• Neerings Plumbing Heating
• Industrial Supply
• Fresenius Medical Care

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Neerings Plumbing Heating

• Family owned company since 1935
• Technicians are licensed journeymen plumbers
  and/or trained and educated in HVAC
• 35 employees
• Implemented tobacco-free policy January 1, 2008
• Troy Neerings
• [phone]
• troy_at_neeringsplumbing.com

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Industrial Supply

• Serving mining industry since 1916
• Outfitters to construction and industry
• 165 employees at seven sites
• Implemented smoke-free policy in 1983
• Philip Thompson
• [phone]

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Fresenius Medical Care

• Fresenius Medical Care production facility
• Company is worlds largest dialysis products
  provider
• 1,500 employees in Ogden
• Implemented tobacco-free policy July 1, 2007
• Joe Hudak
• [phone]
• joehudak_at_fmc-na.com

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Benefits of a Tobacco-free Workplace

• Lower your costs
• Reduce your liability
• Protect your employees health
• Reduce absenteeism
• Increased productivity and morale

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Step 1 Use Your Companys Health Plan to Help
Employees Quit

• Nearly 80 of adult smokers in Utah want to
  quit and 60 have made a quit attempt in the past
  year
• Most effective treatment includes medication and
  coaching/counseling
• Tobacco users are two to three times more likely
  to quit when have access to effective services

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Step 2 Encourage Use of Tobacco Cessation
Services

• Utah Tobacco Quit Line
• Professional counseling sessions by telephone
• Individualized Quit Plan
• NRT upon qualification (patch and gum)
• Quit Kits information

Spanish Quit Line 1.877.629.1585
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• http//utahquitnet.com

• Quitting guide
• Medication guide
• Expert counseling

• Personalized quit plan
• 24-hour community support
• Online NRT purchase

Lifetime membership!
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Step 3 Develop and Maintain a Successful
Tobacco-free Policy

• Seven key elements
• 1. Form a policy work group
• 2. Involve union representatives if needed
• 3. Include all forms of tobacco
• 4. Consider the extent of the policy

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Step 3 Develop and Maintain a Successful
Tobacco-free Policy

• Seven key elements (cont.)
• 5. Communicate the policy
• 6. Determine enforcement authority
• 7. Comply with the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act

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1 Form a Policy Work Group
Determine the types and numbers of managers and
employees that are optimal for your company to
develop the tobacco-free policy.

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2 Involve Union Representatives If
Needed Developing a tobacco-free policy
addresses an area in which management and unions
have in common the safety and health of the
employee.
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3 Include all Forms of Tobacco
All forms of tobacco (spit tobacco, cigars,
pipes, etc.) are dangerous. Though some tobacco
products may be less risky than others, all
tobacco products are cancer-causing and addictive.

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4 Consider the Extent of the Policy Your
companys policy can range from meeting minimum
legal requirements (UICAA) to prohibiting tobacco
anywhere on the worksite.
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• 5 Communicate the Policy
• Employees need to be kept well informed about
  changes to company policy, changes to health plan
  coverage, and the availability of services to
  help them quit tobacco use.
• Communication strategies
• Intranet
• Payroll stuffers
• Posters and displays
• Employee orientation, staff, and meetings

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6 Determine Who Will Enforce the Policy
A well-written policy should be very clear on the
consequences for violating the policy.
Consequences should be similar to those for
violations of similar types of organizational
policies.

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7 Comply with the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act .
It is up to each business owner to ensure
compliance with enforcing UICAA statute and rule
requirements. For assistance, contact the Utah
Department of Health at 1.877.220.3466.
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Enforcing Your Tobacco-free Policy
Minimize the need for direct enforcement by
carefully developing a plan to publicize the
tobacco-free policy via employee meetings and
signage.
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Maintaining Your Tobacco-free Policy

• Review policy periodically
• Discuss and resolve any challenges
• Revise policy as needed

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Keep Your Business Healthy Utah Tobacco-Free
Workplace Toolkit

• Attachments
• Legal Implications of Secondhand Smoke
• Tobacco Policy Checklist
• Employee Survey
• Sample Policies
• Tobacco Policy Issues and Solutions
• Local Health Department Contacts

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Review

• Three Steps to Making Your Worksite Tobacco Free
• Use your company health plan
• Encourage use of tobacco cessation services
• Develop and maintain a tobacco-free policy
• Form a policy work group
• Involve union representatives if needed
• Include all forms of tobacco
• Consider the extent of the policy
• Communicate the policy
• Determine enforcement authority
• Comply with the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act

For more information, contact Tobacco
Free Resource Line 1-877-220-3466
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Questions?