• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Workplace Smoking Ban May Help Smokers Quit; Study Results Follow Surgeon General Report on Dangers of Second Hand Smoke

Posted on: Thursday, 20 July 2006, 12:01 CDT

Banning smoking throughout workplaces may reduce cigarette consumption among smokers and even assist them in quitting, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (JNCCN).

The study, conducted by researchers from Stanford University and City of Hope (COH) National Medical Center, investigated the attitudes and behaviors of smokers, ex-smokers and nonsmokers at COH, which has maintained a smoke-free campus for almost two decades. By prohibiting smoking not only in the buildings but also outside them, COH was able to considerably reduce secondhand smoke-related health risks for their employees. The authors believe these results will be useful to other organizations considering a smoke-free environment.

These findings come on the heels of a June report by U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona recommending a full ban on smoking in workplaces. Carmona confirmed that secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard that can trigger the development of lung cancer. Inefficient methods such as designating smoking and nonsmoking areas do not protect nonsmokers, according to Carmona. Only a full workplace ban, like the one upheld by City of Hope, can reduce the risks associated with secondhand smoke exposure.

"Secondhand smoking causes about 3000 lung cancer deaths every year. In addition, tobacco use causes employee disability, reduction in job performance and increased health care costs to employers," said Frederic W. Grannis Jr, M.D., one of the researchers from City of Hope. "Smoke-free workplaces improve health among nonsmokers and smokers, reduce smoking rates among employees and may prevent people from even starting smoking."

In addition to the City of Hope study, this special lung-cancer issue of JNCCN includes the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology(TM) on non-small cell and small cell lung cancer as well as a report about new medications for smoking cessation.

For more information, please contact Thomas Mitchell or visit www.nccn.org.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a not-for-profit alliance of 20 of the world's leading cancer centers, is dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN member institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers. The primary goal of all NCCN initiatives is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can live better lives.

The NCCN member institutions are: City of Hope Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA; Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare, Boston, MA; Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, Durham, NC; Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA; Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, WA; Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital & Richard J. Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute at the University of South Florida, Tampa, FL; Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY; Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital/University of Tennessee Cancer Institute, Memphis, TN; Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Center, Stanford, CA; University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham, AL; UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA; University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI; UNMC Eppley Cancer Center at The Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE; and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.

For more information, visit www.nccn.org.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category