STRATHROY AND FOUR COUNTIES HOSPITALS GOING SMOKE FREE IN 2016

Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital and Four Counties Hospital have plans in the works to go smoke free in 2016. Many hospitals across Ontario have gone completely smoke-free and our area hospitals will follow suit. Provincial legislation states that as of January 1st, 2016 there is no smoking allowed on hospital property unless it is in a designated smoking area. The legislation also states all hospitals need to be completely smoke-free on the property as of January 1st, 2018. Chief Operating Officer at Middlesex Hospital Alliance, Nancy Maltby says our hospitals will do even better than that as they hope to be completely smoke-free by June of 2016.

The hospitals don't currently have a designated smoking area so staff is working on creating one to help with the transition. This means in June patients, staff and anyone at the hospital will need to be out at the sidewalks to have a cigarette. Maltby says it will be everyone's responsibility to notify the hospital if the policy isn't being followed but they are working out the logistics. Second hand smoke kills roughly 425 Ontarians every year.