MedStar Health Brings Tobacco Ban to Georgetown University Hospital

November 11, 2008

Next week's Great American Smokeout, an annual event hosted by the American Cancer Society challenging people across the country to stop smoking, likely will hit a little closer to home-and the office- for many members of the Georgetown community. Beginning November 20, Georgetown University Hospital will be a tobacco-free campus. Smoking and the use of tobacco products by GUH employees, patients, visitors, physicians, volunteers, and vendors will be prohibited in and around all Hospital buildings, parking lots and the surrounding University and residential neighborhoods. This ban applies to all Georgetown University Medical Center faculty, staff, and students when they are on the GUH premises.

"This is an important step toward improving the health and well-being of GUH patients, families and staff. We ask that all GUMC faculty, staff and students respect and cooperate with this commitment to a healthy environment," said Howard Federoff, Executive Vice President of GUMC.

In an effort to assist employees of GUH and GUMC who currently smoke and are interested in quitting, GUH invites members of the GUMC community to join their upcoming eight-session "Freedom From Smoking" support group series. Beginning on December 2, the series will meet Tuesdays from 12:00 p.m. until 1:30 p.m., and enrolled participants will receive free nicotine patches and lozenges, in addition to useful information for individuals to overcome the difficulties of quitting. The deadline for registration is Wednesday, November 26. Contact Employee Health at GUH for more information at 202-444-3680.

Click here to see a letter to the GUMC community from Howard Federoff.

Submit your news at any time to the GUMC Office of Communications at gumccomm@georgetown.edu.



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