Policy, education key to going smoke-free
April 1, 2002
Policy, education key to going smoke-free
Clock ticking on OSHA workplace smoking ban
A recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has given OSHA until Dec. 13, 2002, to provide a timetable for the conclusion of a ruling to ban smoking at nearly all workplaces. While it’s still unclear just when the ban will go into effect, it’s certainly time for workplaces that are not yet smoke-free to start planning for the transition.
Such a transition requires a two-pronged approach, says Don R. Powell, PhD, president of the Farmington Hills, MI-based Institute for Preventive Medicine. "It’s important to implement a smoke-free policy, but at the same time you must offer employees a way to quit, or to at least control their smoking while at work," he notes.
And we do mean smoke-free
It’s likely that the new OSHA ruling will reflect earlier definitions of "smoke-free," which means that smoking will be banned in the workplace, but not on other company property. This is inadequate, Powell insists. "We think a total ban is appropriate for a number of reasons," he offers. "Part of the goal of a smoke-free policy is to encourage people to also smoke less. If they have no access to cigarettes at all during the day, particularly if they have a large campus, this will further encourage employees to quit smoking." This approach may even apply to hospitals, commonly thought of as smoke-free.’ "Very few of them have a total ban on the entire campus," says Powell.
Another drawback of building-only’ bans, he notes, is that worksites where smoking is allowed outside the buildings can lead to power smoking.’ "When employees go on smoking breaks, they will take increased hits and deeper inhales to get the nicotine into their body more readily," he explains. "The danger here is that when you take in nicotine in this much more rapid fashion, one cigarette would actually double or triple the tar and nicotine absorbed. In other words, the employee may think he is cutting down but in reality he isn’t."
Powell says about 10% of a given employee population will quit smoking when a smoke-free policy is in place; typically, 25 out of every 100 employees smoke cigarettes. "About 70% of all workplaces in the United States now have total bans on smoking inside," says Powell, which is a significant increase from the 46% that had such policies in 1993. There are no figures on how many also ban smoking outside the buildings. "It’s been estimated this new rule will save 8,000 lives a year out of the 50,000 who die annually as a result of environmental cigarette smoke," Powell observes.
Implementing the policy
Before implementing your policy, Powell advises, examine the one you currently have in place. "For example, you may in fact have a policy in place, but not a total ban, so it may be time to move to a total ban," he says. Form a task force or an advisory committee to determine the implementation process, and by all means prepare your workers for the new smoking cessation policy. "The key is to communicate, communicate, communicate," Powell advises.
"This needs to be implemented with the same degree of attention accorded any other company policy," he continues. "Give advance warning, announce quit-smoking services and promote them, and perhaps offer remuneration for participation or pay for those services." Financial incentives such as lower rates for health insurance for nonsmokers or financial rewards independent of reduced premiums may be considered, Powell suggests.
Cessation program a must
If you are going to implement a smoking ban, then an employee smoking cessation program is imperative, says Powell. "You absolutely need a quit-smoking program or the policy becomes punitive," he explains. The type of programming that works best is one with multiple components, Powell says. "The best programs address both physiological addiction and behavioral issues," he explains. "So patches, gum, and even Zyban can be effective as pharmacological adjuncts to behavior modification. But they aren’t meant to be used alone. Employees must learn new skills as well, such as the ability to relax without a cigarette."
A new concept that has arisen in smoking cessation programs is the controlled smoker.’ "This concept came out of companies that instituted nonsmoking policies," notes Powell. "There are some employees who just won’t stop smoking, but they still need to get through the day without lighting up. We have techniques in our smokeless’ program that help to prevent and eliminate cigarette urges. Now, when we promote our program, we tell employees that it’s designed for those who want to quit or control their smoking.’"
For more information, contact: Don R. Powell, PhD, President, American Institute for Preventive Medicine, 30445 Northwestern Highway, Suite 350, Farmington Hills, MI 48334. Telephone: (248) 539-1800. Fax: (248) 539-1808. Web: www.healthylife.com.
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