Decatur Memorial Hospital Goes Smoke Free

Effective July 4, 2006, Independence Day, the campus at Decatur Memorial Hospital will become smoke free. The hospital’s mission is To improve the health of the people of Central Illinois. Because of that, the hospital’s current nonsmoking policy will be expanded. All DMH-owned buildings and grounds will become smoke free. All employees, patients, visitors and volunteers will not be permitted to smoke anywhere on any DMH property.

"We have expanded our smoke-free policy to create an even healthier environment for the patients and community we serve," says Ken Smithmier, DMH President and CEO. "Symbolically, we chose to implement this change on Independence Day-we are declaring ourselves completely smoke free."

Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans die from disorders directly related to smoking-such as heart disease, emphysema and lung cancer. Robyn Reising, RN, DMH Heart and Lung Institute says, "Smokers are twice as likely to die from heart attacks as are nonsmokers. And smoking is a major risk factor for peripheral vascular disease and strokes."

In fact, the US Centers for Disease Control estimates that adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking.

Smithmier says, "This policy sends an important message about Decatur Memorial Hospital. We care about the health of the people of Central Illinois."

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