INTRODUCTION

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The term smoke free environment is sometimes used indiscriminately to discuss
both 100 percent smoke free areas as well as segregated and ventilated areas. A
truly smoke free environment in a business is one in which no smoking is allowed
within any company building or vehicle. Depending on the company, smoking
may be permitted in certain outdoor areas designated for that purpose. In other
companies, the smoke free policy prohibits smoking on any company property.
Employees who smoke must abstain from smoking while at work or must leave
company grounds to smoke. Other companies allow smoking in special rooms or
areas dedicated to that purpose. For smoking areas within the building, a special
and separate ventilation system must be installed in order to prevent smoke from
leaking into other areas of the structure.
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Important Reasons to go Smoke Free in workplaces

1.Protects the health and safety of staff and service users

There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) according to

the World Health Organisation (WHO). SHS poses the same health dangers to those
exposed to it as smoking does to the smoker. The National (Australian) Occupational
Health and Safety Commission says this is the fundamental reason for its elimination
in the workplace.

Even in outdoor environments, designated smoking areas are rarely far enough
away to protect other non-smoking people from SHS. Studies of air quality around
smoking areas demonstrate that even in outdoor areas the levels of SHS can be
dangerously high. SHS has particular dangers because the side-stream smoke from
cigarettes contains much higher levels of the carcinogens as smoke inhaled by the
smoker

Therefore 100% smoke-free workplaces represents best practice. The World

Health Organisation (WHO) recognises that partial bans with designated smoking
areas are not effective in achieving protection from SHS and dont encourage
quitting.
2.Supports quitting

The sight and smell of others smoking particularly colleagues, friends etc
,is a major trigger to resuming smoking for those trying to quit or cut down. Smoke
-free workplaces support people by not creating additional barriers for staff and
service users to quit/cut down smoking.

Best practice in smoke-free workplace environments includes offering a range of

evidence-based quit smoking supports to interested staff and service users to

promote quitting.
3.Prevents the uptake of smoking

The normalisation of smoking in a range of workplace and service environments can

encourage the uptake of smoking particularly by young people. Mental health
facilities and prisons are good examples of settings where people take up smoking
as a result of being incarcerated or hospitalised. Other work sectors such as
hospitality and community services are further examples of work environments
which foster the uptake of smoking through workplace norms i.e. only break you get
is the smoko.
4.Good health promotion practice

Environments have a key role to play in shaping and influencing the behaviours of
individuals. Health enhancing and risk behaviours are not simply about individual
choice but are shaped by the social settings, workplaces and communities in which
people live and work. Creating supportive environments in which people can
maximise their health and well being is an essential component of a health
promoting approach within workplaces.
5.Promoting smoke free environments de-normalises smoking without
demonising
smokers
.

Smoke-free cinemas and public transport are great examples where smoking has
been de-normalised, arguably with universal support. Smoke-free environments
cater for the majority of people who dont smoke,(more than 80% Australians dont
smoke). People are still free to exercise their individual choice to continue smoking
but simply asked not to smoke in certain environments i.e.workplaces or public
areas where their smoking could affect others.

In smoke-free workplaces,smokers are restricted to smoking only in their personal

time such as unpaid breaks. This further de-normalises smoking by identifying
smoking as a personal behavior that is not compatible with the workplace.
6.Saves costs for the organisation

Workplace productivity is improved in smoke-free workplaces. There is less

absenteeism as the health of staff improves, and reduced wasted time when staff
are restricted to smoking only on unpaid time (lunch breaks). Staff morale is also
improved when the perceived inequity of smoking staff taking additional breaks to
smoke is removed.

Workplace safety is enhanced because the risks of accidents and injury are
reducedwhen smoking is no longer permitted.

Cleaning and maintenance costs associated with smoking are also less.
7.Smoke-free aligns with social justice values

Smoking is a social justice issue because rates of smoking among people living with
disadvantage are much higher than for other members of the Australian community.
People with multiple disadvantages have the highest rates of all. Smoking is a major
reasonfor the disparity in health between less advantaged and more advantaged
citizens.

People from disadvantaged groups who smoke also face more barriers in quitting
and receive less interest and support from health and community services workers
to quit. Smoking is still commonly seen as a matter of personal choice for people
from disadvantaged groups, as the least of their problems and secondary to the
bigger issues that underpin disadvantage.When smoking is de-prioritised and is
perceived as a small pleasure or a crutch, smoking among disadvantaged groups
can be inadvertently reinforced,and the belief that quitting is desirable and possible
for disadvantaged groups eroded.

Smoking and Death

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

Cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States.
This is about one in five deaths.1,2,3
Smoking causes more deaths each year than all of these combined:4
o

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Illegal drug use

Alcohol use

Motor vehicle injuries

Firearm-related incidents

More than 10 times as many U.S. citizens have died prematurely from cigarette
smoking than have died in all the wars fought by the United States during its history.1

Smoking causes about 90% (or 9 out of 10) of all lung cancer deaths in men and
women.1,2 More women die from lung cancer each year than from breast cancer.5

About 80% (or 8 out of 10) of all deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD) are caused by smoking.1

Cigarette smoking increases risk for death from all causes in men and women.1

The risk of dying from cigarette smoking has increased over the last 50 years in men
and women in the United States.1

Smoking and Increased Health Risks

Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.

Smoking is estimated to increase the risk

o For coronary heart disease by 2 to 4 times1,6
o

For stroke by 2 to 4 times1

Of men developing lung cancer by 25 times1

Of women developing lung cancer by 25.7 times1

Smoking causes diminished overall heath, such as self-reported poor health, increased
absenteeism from work, and increased health care utilization and cost.1

Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease

Smokers are at greater risk for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular
disease).1,2

Smoking causes stroke and coronary heart diseasethe leading causes of death in the
United States.1
Even people who smoke fewer than five cigarettes a day can have early signs of
cardiovascular disease.1

Smoking damages blood vessels and can make them thicken and grow narrower. This
makes your heart beat faster and your blood pressure go up. Clots can also form.1,2

A heart attack occurs when a clot blocks the blood flow to your heart. When this
happens, your heart cannot get enough oxygen. This damages the heart muscle, and
part of the heart muscle can die.1,2

A stroke occurs when a clot blocks the blood flow to part of your brain or when a
blood vessel in or around your brain bursts.1,2

Blockages caused by smoking can also reduce blood flow to your legs and skin.1,2

Smoking and Respiratory Disease

Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways and the small air sacs (alveoli)
found in your lungs.1,2

Lung diseases caused by smoking include COPD, which includes emphysema and
chronic bronchitis.1,2
Cigarette smoking causes most cases of lung cancer.1,2

If you have asthma, tobacco smoke can trigger an attack or make an attack worse.1,2

Smokers are 12 to 13 times more likely to die from COPD than nonsmokers.1

Smoking and Cancer

Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body:1,2 (See figure above)

Bladder
Blood (acute myeloid leukemia)

Cervix

Colon and rectum (colorectal)

Esophagus

Kidney and ureter

Larynx

Liver

Oropharynx (includes parts of the throat, tongue, soft palate, and the tonsils)

Pancreas

Stomach

Trachea, bronchus, and lung

If nobody smoked, one of every three cancer deaths in the United States would not happen.1,2
Smoking increases the risk of dying from cancer and other diseases in cancer patients and
survivors.1

Smoking and Other Health Risks

Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and affects a persons overall health.1,2

Smoking can make it harder for a woman to become pregnant and can affect her
baby's health before and after birth. Smoking increases risks for:1,2,5
o Preterm (early) delivery
o

Stillbirth (death of the baby before birth)

Low birth weight

Sudden infant death syndrome (known as SIDS or crib death)

Ectopic pregnancy

Orofacial clefts in infants

Smoking can also affect men's sperm, which can reduce fertility and also increase
risks for birth defects and miscarriage (loss of the pregnancy).2

Smoking can affect bone health.1,5

o

Women past childbearing years who smoke have lower bone density (weaker
bones) than women who never smoked and are at greater risk for broken
bones.

Smoking affects the health of your teeth and gums and can cause tooth loss.1

Smoking can increase your risk for cataracts (clouding of the eyes lens that makes it
hard for you to see) and age-related macular degeneration (damage to a small spot
near the center of the retina, the part of the eye needed for central vision).1

Smoking is a cause of type 2 diabetes mellitus and can make it harder to control. The
risk of developing diabetes is 3040% higher for active smokers than nonsmokers.1,2

Smoking causes general adverse effects on the body. It can cause inflammation and
adverse effects on immune function.1

Smoking is a cause of rheumatoid arthritis.1

Quitting and Reduced Risks

Quitting smoking cuts cardiovascular risks. Just 1 year after quitting smoking, your
risk for a heart attack drops sharply.2
Within 2 to 5 years after quitting smoking, your risk for stroke could fall to about the
same as a nonsmokers.2

If you quit smoking, your risks for cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and
bladder drop by half within 5 years.2

Ten years after you quit smoking, your risk for lung cancer drops by half.2

How to Quit Smoking

A Guide to Kicking the Habit for Good
Whether youre a teen smoker or a lifetime packaday smoker, quitting can be tough. But
the more you learn about your options and prepare for quitting, the easier the process will be.
With the right game plan tailored to your needs, you can break the addiction, manage your
cravings, and join the millions of people who have kicked the habit for good.

Why quitting smoking can seem so hard

Smoking tobacco is both a physical addiction and a psychological habit. The nicotine from
cigarettes provides a temporary, and addictive, high. Eliminating that regular fix of nicotine
will cause your body to experience physical withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Because of

nicotines feel good effect on the brain, you may also have become accustomed to smoking
as a way of coping with stress, depression, anxiety, or even boredom.
At the same time, the act of smoking is ingrained as a daily ritual. It may be an automatic
response for you to smoke a cigarette with your morning coffee, while taking a break from
work or school, or during your commute home at the end of a long day. Perhaps friends,
family members, and colleagues smoke, and it has become part of the way you relate with
them.
To successfully quit smoking, youll need to address both the addiction and the habits and
routines that go along with it.

Questions to ask yourself

Take the time to think of what kind of smoker you are, which moments of your life call for a
cigarette, and why. This will help you to identify which tips, techniques or therapies may be
most beneficial for you.

Do you feel the need to smoke at every meal?

Are you more of a social smoker?

Is it a very bad addiction (more than a pack a day)? Or would a simple nicotine patch
do the job?

Do you reach for cigarettes when you're feeling stressed or down?

Are there certain activities, places, or people you associate with smoking?

Is your cigarette smoking linked to other addictions, such as alcohol or gambling?

Are you open to hypnotherapy and/or acupuncture?

Are you someone who is open to talking about your addiction with a therapist or
counselor?

Are you interested in getting into a fitness program?

Start your stop smoking plan with START

S = Set a quit date.
Choose a date within the next 2 weeks, so you have enough time to prepare without losing
your motivation to quit. If you mainly smoke at work, quit on the weekend, so you have a few
days to adjust to the change.
T = Tell family, friends, and co-workers that you plan to quit.
Let your friends and family in on your plan to quit smoking and tell them you need their
support and encouragement to stop. Look for a quit buddy who wants to stop smoking as well.
You can help each other get through the rough times.
A = Anticipate and plan for the challenges you'll face while quitting.

Most people who begin smoking again do so within the first 3 months. You can help yourself
make it through by preparing ahead for common challenges, such as nicotine withdrawal and
cigarette cravings.
R = Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work.
Throw away all of your cigarettes (no emergency pack!), lighters, ashtrays, and matches.
Wash your clothes and freshen up anything that smells like smoke. Shampoo your car, clean
your drapes and carpet, and steam your furniture.
T = Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit.
Your doctor can prescribe medication to help with withdrawal and suggest other alternatives.
If you can't see a doctor, you can get many products over the counter at your local pharmacy
or grocery store, including the nicotine patch, nicotine lozenges, and nicotine gum.

EFFECTS OF A SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENT ON CUSTOMERS

The implications of a smoke free environment in small businesses such as restaurants, bars,
and shops also extend to customers. For these types of businesses, local and state laws and
regulations may also be more straightforward. Many states and municipalities already limit or
eliminate smoking in the public areas of these businesses. In the state of California, for
example, no smoking is permitted in any public establishment. California lawmakers alerted
the public of the change six months prior to implementing this legislation to allow businesses
time to address the issue in their workplace policies and to provide consumers with time to get
used to the idea. There also may be legal issues to consider. According to an article in
Business-First Columbus, the National Restaurant Association states that employers can be
held liable if staff members become ill from second-hand smoke.
Other states require a public establishment to have both smoking and nonsmoking areas
within a restaurant, with space and sometimes ventilation requirements for each. As noted
with work environments, a separate ventilation system may be used to divert smoky air.
Working with local authorities as well as reviewing policies from similar businesses in the
area can help a small business to determine its needs.
If the institution of a smoke free environment at a small business is not tied to any
governmental regulations or requirements that are already known by the general public, a
small business should consider giving advance notice of the new policy to their customers. A
simple posting at the door as well as personal verbal or written notice to regular clients can go
a long way to ensure customers' responsiveness and compliance. Finally, in cases where
customers ignore the policy, it is important to courteously but consistently administer it, even
at the risk of losing those customers.
The implementation of a smoke free environment is a complex process for any small business.
By using legal counsel to wade through the maze of pertinent laws and regulations, working

with employees to develop a policy, and communicating the policy regularly to both
employees and customers, a small business can ensure its efforts are successful.