BUSINESSES RESTRICTING SMOKING; HEALTHIER SETTING FOR WORKERS URGED

For many businesses in the community, the sign of the times now reads "No Smoking."

"In my opinion, (cigarette) smoking is no longer socially acceptable," said Susan McClanahan with the American Lung Association.

"People want to quit smoking, and more and more businesses are calling for information on how to help them all the time."

From a business point of view, there are other advantages to a smoke-free workplace, she said.

Organizations that have gone smoke-free report higher productivity and savings in insurance, health-care costs and maintenance, she said. For example, heavy smokers seek health care 50 percent more often than nonsmokers, according to the association

Workplaces can restrict smoking to certain areas or go completely smoke-free. Smoke-free is becoming more and more popular, McClanahan said.

It's happening in Cape Girardeau, she said. The entire Medical Arts Building, where the lung association is housed, is smoke-free.

Cape Girardeau's youngsters are being urged to remain smoke-free. The Smoke-Free Class of 2000 will hold a "graduation" ceremony June 1 for over 500 Cape Girardeau third grade students.

Cape Girardeau public schools this year eliminated smoking for students. Beginning next school year, smoking also will be prohibited for employees. The schools will be smoke-free.

Southeast Missouri State University has had a tobacco-free policy since November 1988. Tobacco use is allowed in about a dozen locations across campus.

The policy was developed in response to requests from students and faculty, and over the years has been modified to become more restrictive, said Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president.

Beginning today, the Southeast Missourian and Concord Publishing will be smoke-free.

Boatmen's Banks of Cape Girardeau will be smoke-free beginning June 1, said Jeanne Goodman, vice president of marketing.

"After June 1, Boatmen's associates cannot smoke anywhere in the bank," she said. "We are going to be smoke-free."

She said no smoking signs are also posted in customer areas to encourage them not to smoke either.

"The goal is to have a healthier atmosphere for everyone," Goodman said.

Bank president James Limbaugh spearheaded the smoke-free workplace.

The smoke-free policy doesn't go into effect until June, giving smokers a chance to quit or cut down, Goodman said.

She said the move to a smoke-free workplace probably was no surprise for bank employees.

"I think people knew it was coming," Goodman said. "We had eliminated smoking in almost every area. It was down to just the associates lounge."

Under the new policy, if employees want to smoke they will have to leave the building.

Southeast Missouri Hospital took advantage of new construction this year to create isolated smoking areas.

A new smoking policy, issued Jan. 31, designates just four locations in the hospital for smokers.

Nancy Bray, director of public relations at the hospital, said the new smoking areas help the hospital comply with Missouri Department of Health regulations.

"Certainly the policy has to do with compliance with the Department of Health," Bray said. "But our own intent, as a health care institution, is to take a stand and to show our feelings about smoking."

Each of the smoking rooms has an air exchange system that helps with ventilation.

The designated smoking rooms are located in the surgical waiting room, the critical care waiting room, the emergency waiting room and the cafeteria.

The smoking areas in these four locations are separated by glass walls.

For employees of the hospital, the only designated smoking area is in the cafeteria.

"We are also trying to encourage our employees to stop smoking. We are offering a lot more smoking cessation classes through the wellness center," Bray said.

Bray said since the policy has gone into effect, she has heard only appreciation from non-smokers.

"Some volunteers have been able to come back to volunteer duty. They had to quit before because they were allergic to the smoke," she said. "But now they're back. I have seen only the plus side of it."

St. Francis Medical Center has restricted smoking to designated areas within the center, also.

While the policy is not as restrictive as that at Southeast, Jay Wolz, with St. Francis' public relations office, said, "It is significantly restricted from what it was just a few years ago.

"One small area of the cafeteria is designated for smokers. It used to be that one small portion of the cafeteria was designated for non-smokers. We have one smoking lounge for visitors."

Some patients may smoke, contingent on a long list of restrictions.

Employees and physicians may smoke in locker rooms and private offices.