Media Release

Contact: Dennis Mathis, Public Relations Coordinator, San Juan Regional Medical Center, 505-324-2238 or email dmathis@sjrmc.net

SJRMC Tobacco-Free Policy One Year Old

FARMINGTON, NM (July 23, 2007) San Juan Regional Medical Center's tobacco-free policy became effective nearly a year ago, on August 1, 2006. The board of directors decided in 2005 that all campuses of San Juan Regional Medical Center would be tobacco-free because of the overwhelming scientific evidence of the health hazards of tobacco use. They recognized the importance of providing, on all hospital premises, a more healing environment for everyone -- staff, visitors, and patients – when they enacted the new policy.

The transition to tobacco-free was smoothed by a year of preparation prior to August 1, 2006. Announcements in the form of brochures, newspaper ads, billboards and signs gave the public a long lead time because the public's support was vital. Likewise, a massive educational effort was launched for the nearly 1500 employees of the SJRMC system. For employees who were tobacco users and wanted to use the tobacco-free date as an opportunity to quit, tobacco cessation support was provided in the health insurance plan and in literature.

Now that a year has passed, the benefits of this tobacco-free policy are clear to everyone. The entrances are smoke free, and some have used the tobacco-free policy as motivation to quit tobacco. The public and employees, smokers and non-smokers alike, strongly support the policy.

Although tobacco use inside hospital buildings has been prohibited for years, the new tobacco-free policy does not permit tobacco use anywhere on SJRMC property – inside or outside of buildings.