Cuyahoga County
Health Alliance
Tobacco-Free Policy
Workshop
Planning a 100% Tobacco-Free Campus Policy
Cuyahoga County Board of Health
August 24, 2012
Why Does My Workplace Need a
Tobacco-Free Policy?
 To provide a safe and healthy environment for employees and
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customers (to discourage tobacco use and to reduce exposure
to secondhand smoke)
To encourage smokers to become nonsmokers (have a quit rate
that is 84% higher than average)
To encourage cigarette smokers to smoke less cigarettes
(consume 11-15% less tobacco than average)
To help former tobacco users remain tobacco-free
To contribute to reducing smoking rates in our county (overall, to
have an impact on the public’s health)
To reduce healthcare and insurance cost for your organization
To improve productivity
Why Does My Workplace Need a
Tobacco-Free Policy? (Continued)
 Tobacco users cost companies more per claim than
non-tobacco users (i.e. greater hospital inpatient
costs- make six more visits/yr than nonsmokers)
 May be able to negotiate lower health, life, and
disability coverage because of the reduction in
employee smoking
 A policy coupled with cessation programs to help
employees quit may be able to save even more on
their insurance costs
 Performance/productivity can be increased (smokers
are absent from work 6.5 days more than
nonsmokers; average smoking employee spends a
total of 18 days/yr on smoking breaks)
Why Does My Workplace Need a
Tobacco-Free Policy? (Continued)
In Summary:
Tobacco-Free Policy Developed=
Reduced Tobacco Consumption OR Quit
Using Tobacco =
Healthcare Costs↓ =
Employee Absenteeism↓ =
Workforce Productivity↑
Are there different levels or stages to
adopting a policy?
**1.) A 100% tobacco-free campus, including facilities
and vehicles, as well as the property or grounds of
the employer
2.) A tobacco-free building, with tobacco-free indoor
areas. Designated smoking areas are located
outside. (everyone has this policy due to the Ohio
Smoke-Free Workplace Act)
**Include tobacco products other than cigarettes in your
policy? Recommended that you include all forms of
tobacco since they all have harmful health effects.
What Should I Do to Build Consensus
in My Workplace for the Policy?
1.) Assess the current situation within your workplace
(allows employees to express their opinions to help
you gain support for the policy, but it will also help
guide implementation)
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Is there a current tobacco policy? Do employees What
are the employees” attitudes about the current policy?
Do employees comply with the current policy?
Survey your employees-advantages/disadvantages of
becoming an entirely tobacco-free campus; using
incentives to encourage employees to quit; offering
and paying for tobacco cessation programming
What Should I Do to Build Consensus
in My Workplace for the Policy?
2.) Create a “well-represented” Tobacco-Free Taskforce
 Includes management and general staff
 Tobacco users
 Former tobacco users
 Persons who have never smoked or used tobacco
**Encourages employees to take ownership in your policy,
which can help guarantee the policy’s acceptance and
success
3.) Clear and concise communication (i.e. letter from
management; notices in newsletter/e-mail)- communicate
with employees on why the decision was made (provide
enough time for tobacco users to prepare for the changes);
when it will become effective (recommended to announce at
least 4 months before the effective date); and how to obtain
cessation resources and assistance, if needed
What Should be Included in my
Company’s Policy?
 Purpose for the policy, including the harmful effects of
secondhand smoke, rising healthcare and insurance
costs, and any other reasons relevant to your
workplace
 A tie between the policy and your corporate values
(i.e. employee health and performance)
 Clear statement of where smoking is prohibited
 Clear statement of where smoking is permitted (if
anywhere)
What Should be Included in my
Company’s Policy? (Continued)
 Clear statement on how other forms of tobacco will
be regulated
 Clear statement on enforcement and the
consequences of noncompliance
 Clear statement of how you will support employees
who smoke or use tobacco (i.e. cessation
information/services)
 Contact information for the individual(s) who can
answer questions about the policy
***Get feedback from Management and the Taskforce
before finalizing the policy
How Else Should I Prepare for the
New Policy?
 Removing any ashtrays or other types of
cigarette depositories
 Posting “Tobacco-Free” area signs in highly
visible locations
 Focusing on the “smoke” and not the
“smoker”
 Focusing on the health and safety of all
employees, not individual rights