71°
The Hudson Valley Hospital Center offered ways for its employees to stop smoking at an employee picnic today. The hospital is offering help quitting in anticipation of become a smoke-free campus on November 17, the American Cancer Societys 36th Annual Great American Smokeout.
The first phase was to announce our intention to create a Tobacco-Free Campus, said John C. Federspiel, president of Hudson Valley Hospital Center. This second phase is to prepare employees for the change by offering those who smoke help in quitting. At Hudson Valley Hospital Center we are all about health and wellness so this move is something that is long overdue.
The employees will be offered hypnosis and a four-week smoking cessation program, as well as reduced price nicotine patches, gum and lozenges.
Studies show that smoking is linked to coronary heart disease, emphysema and throat cancer, as well as some other serious diseases, such as leukemia, pneumonia and cancers of the cervix, kidneys, pancreas and stomach. About 46 million Americans smoke.
The New York State Health Department has a public awareness campaign that offers help to smokers seeking to quit. To find out more about it, visit www.hvhc.org or http://www.nysmokefree.com.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Cortlandt and receive free news updates.
