Larry J. Shapiro, M.D., executive vice chancellor and dean of the School of Medicine, and the Executive Faculty have approved the Tobacco-Free Policy for the school, which goes into effect April 2.
The new policy, available online at healthyliving.wustl.edu, applies to all medical school buildings as well as all owned or occupied property, including parking lots and garages, personal vehicles parked on school property, University-owned vehicles and all leased property.
Last week, the medical school began offering free six-week “Freedom From Smoking” classes at the Barnard Health and Cancer Information Center on the first floor of Siteman Cancer Center. Schedules and registration forms for the next classes that begin in February and March soon will be available at healthyliving.wustl.edu. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis and also is open to Danforth Campus employees.
In addition, employees are eligible for smoking-cessation telephone counseling through the Call-2-Quit study, which offers free telephone support and advice to help smokers become non-smokers.
Those who enroll in the study will have seven 20-minute telephone sessions with trained smoking-cessation coaches, who help explore reasons and motivations for smoking, identify key situations that trigger the urge to smoke and prepare participants for the challenges of quitting.
After a participant stops smoking, the remaining calls provide support and coping techniques. Study participants also will have two follow-up assessments.
For more information or to participate in the study, which is open to University employees and appointees at all campuses, call 1-866-902-QUIT (7848).
Participants in the Freedom From Smoking classes and Call -2-Quit may be eligible to purchase smoking-cessation aids at a substantial discount.
Smoking shelters will be removed from medical school property by April 2. Additional signs communicating the school’s policy will be placed around the medical school property and facilities.
“Our goal in implementing this policy is to provide a clean and healthy work and patient-care environment for everyone, to reduce the toll of tobacco-related illness and to reduce tobacco use among employees, students, visitors and patients interested in quitting,” Shapiro said. “As a health-care organization, this is the right thing to do.”
On Jan. 1, the five University health-insurance plans began to cover two prescription drugs when prescribed for the purpose of smoking cessation. Wellbutrin and Zyban are covered as “tier-three” drugs on the United Healthcare and Blue Cross prescription drug tier listings.
There also are various community organizations that offer resources on quitting, counseling and other services for little or no cost, such as the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, Nicotine Anonymous, Smokefree.gov and others.
The human resources office at the medical school and healthyliving.wustl.edu have lists of other community resources and fitness and wellness facilities at or near the school that are available to employees at a discount.