Published: July 05, 2009 12:04 am      

Smoke-free zone extended at local health departments

The Madison County Health Department, including the Berea location, went completely smoke free July 1, but allows employees and patients the opportunity to smoke inside their vehicles.

“In the spirit of recent tobacco-free policies at other health care organizations, we want to ensure an environment where no one is exposed to secondhand smoke in any of out agency’s public spaces,” said Jim Rousey, Madison County public health director.

In April, the Madison Board of Health voted to expand the reach of the agency’s tobacco-free environment to include areas outside the buildings, such as parking lots, sidewalks and green spaces.

“I think that our board of health was interested in continuing the protection of the public from secondhand smoke and setting an example,” said Christie Green, spokesperson for the Madison County Health Department.

Many of the dangers associated with secondhand smoke are similar to those associated with smoking cigarettes, Green said.

“We do know that secondhand smoke has over 250 toxic chemicals,” she said. “It is a lung irritant and reduces the level of oxygen in the blood.”

The expanded tobacco-free environment also is geared to encourage and help employees to stop smoking, she said.

The board of health offers smoking cessation assistance for health department employees who smoke.

The health department will reimburse employees for the cost of nicotine replacement products, such as patches or gum, as well as medicine used to help them stop smoking.

Green issued a public statement last week stating that if health department employees observe someone smoking outside the buildings, they should ask them to go smoke in their car.

There are no fines or repercussions associated with the policy, she said.

“It’s partly about the example that we set,” Green said. “We’re asking other people to practice healthy habits, so we want to promote that among our employees that we set a good example.”

The Berea Health Department offers free Cooper-Clayton smoking cessation classes. Call 986-1192 for more information about the classes.

Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@ richmondregister.com or 624-6608.