For immediate release: November 18, 2009 (09-181)

Contacts:
Tim Church, Communications Office 360-236-4077

OLYMPIA - On the eve of the Great American Smokeout the Washington State Department of Health is announcing a ban on the use of all tobacco products on its main work campus in Tumwater. The first tobacco-free campus rule by a large state agency in Washington includes smokeless products. It goes into effect 90 days from the Smokeout, on February 16, 2010.

“Tobacco use costs lives and money, and secondhand smoke puts people at much higher risk of serious health problems like lung cancer and heart disease,” said Secretary of Health Mary Selecky. “As a state health department, we must lead by example. This tobacco-free campus policy does that, and sets a tone that other agencies and organizations can follow.”

Secretary Selecky today notified all agency employees of the new tobacco-free workplace policy. It applies to the agency’s Tumwater campus, which includes four buildings, a parking garage, and surrounding grounds off Capitol Boulevard. A similar policy is in place at the agency’s Public Health Laboratories in Shoreline.

The new rule for employees, vendors, and visitors covers all facilities, on-campus sidewalks next to buildings, common areas such as plazas, all parking areas, and all vehicles. There’ll be no designated smoking areas. The agency will post signs on the campus before the new policy takes effect.

Department of Health employees and all Washington residents can get free help quitting tobacco by calling the state Tobacco Quit Line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-877-2NO-FUME in Spanish). Additional quitting information and resources are available at www.quitline.com.

###