In an effort to create a healthier environment for patients, employees and students, Washington University School of Medicine's facilities and properties will become entirely tobacco-free by April 2007.
The new policy applies to all School of Medicine buildings, as well as all owned, leased and occupied property. The tobacco-free areas also include all parking lots, parking garages, and any vehicles parked on the school property.
Smoking huts will be removed from the school property and signs communicating the new tobacco-free policy will be placed around the medical school facilities.
"Our goal is to provide a clean and healthy work and patient-care environment for everyone and to reduce the toll of tobacco-related illnesses," says Larry J. Shapiro, M.D., executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. "As a health care organization, this is the right thing to do."
Benefits When You Quit Smoking
Almost immediately when you quit smoking, your body starts benefiting. And the effects are far-reaching*:
20 minutes after quitting:
* blood pressure decreases
* pulse rate drops
* body temperature of hands and feet increases
Eight hours later:
* carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal>
* oxygen level in blood increases to normal
24 hours later:
* chance of heart attack decreases
48 hours later:
* nerve endings start regrowing
* ability to smell and taste is enhanced
Two weeks to three months later:
* circulation improves
* walking becomes easier
* lung function increases
One to nine months later:
* coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases
One year later:
* excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker
Five years later:
* from five to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked
10 years later:
* risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers
* risk of ulcer, cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases
15 years later:
* risk of coronary heart disease is now that of people who have never smoked
* risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked
* Source: American Lung Association