North Carolina - acute-care hospitals in the state tobacco-free..

July 6, 2009 - As of Monday, July 6th all of the acute-care hospitals in the state have become tobacco-free campuses. The voluntary policies mean that smoking is not allowed in the more than 100 hospitals – including their buildings, sidewalks, entrances and parking lots.

The effort began three years ago and has been spearheaded by N.C. Prevention Partners, a nonprofit group based in Chapel Hill. The group received a grant from The Duke Endowment and partnered up with the N.C. Hospital Association to spread the initiative.

Meg Molloy, N.C. Prevention Partners’ president and CEO: “North Carolina (NC) is leading the nation in tobacco-free hospitals. With these policies in place, millions of visits to hospitals each year by patients, visitors and employees will be protected from exposure to harmful secondhand smoke.”

Reference: N.C. hospitals becoming tobacco-free zones by Vicky Eckenrode (Vicky.Eckenrode@StarNewsOnline.com), Star News Online, 7/5/2008.