Baptist Health Care Supports the Move to a Tobacco-Free Community
PENSACOLA, Fla. (Feb. 10, 2014) – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Baptist Health Care (BHC) applauds CVS’s decision to no longer sell tobacco products as a step in the right direction to encourage healthy lifestyles.
In 2012, the Partnership for a Healthy Community (PFAHC) completed a comprehensive health status assessment for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The study identified tobacco use as a root cause of many poor health outcome measures. Excessive rates of asthma, bronchial infection, heart disease, cancer and stroke were revealed in the two-county area— conditions that may be traced to tobacco use. To learn more about the PFAHC community needs assessment, visit PFAHC.org.
Since unveiling the results of the health status assessment, many organizations in the community have made voluntary commitments to adopt policies to discourage tobacco use and encourage healthy choices.
BHC implemented a tobacco-free hiring policy on Jan. 1, 2014, and all campuses have been tobacco-free since 2009. In addition, BHC offers tobacco cessation classes that are available to employees and the community.
In September 2013, MinuteClinic, the retail health care division of CVS, and BHC, the community’s only locally owned, not-for-profit health care network in northwest Florida, entered into a clinical affiliation to enhance access to high quality, affordable health care services in Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties. We are very pleased that this partner organization has made the decision to end the sale of tobacco products.
For the tobacco user, quitting is a challenge, but one with great rewards. Get help with kicking the habit. Through its Healthy Lives™ program, BHC offers the tobacco cessation course GO QUIT. Call 850.469.6903 or visit eBaptistHealthCare.org/HealthyLives for more information.
