Health District may ban tobacco completely on campus

Panhandle Health District buildings are currently smoke-free and employees and visitors cannot smoke within 20 feet of doorways, but the campuses themselves look to be headed toward a complete tobacco ban.

Allowing smoking anywhere on the district’s campuses is not in keeping with its mission to promote public health, said Director Jeanne Bock.

“We’ve decided to see if it’s time to go to a completely smoke-free environment,” Bock said.

At this time about six of the district’s 90 employees smoke, she said, adding that most have said they want to quit.

“They know it’s a risk to their health,” Bock said.

The Panhandle Health District’s board of directors was scheduled to discuss the issue at its meeting last week, after Handle Extra’s press time.

Board Chairman Marlow Thompson refused to discuss the smoking issue with the newspaper.

Bock, however, said that the timing is right to prohibit all tobacco use on health district property.

The change would take effect in July when money would be available to provide services to help the affected smokers quit the habit.

“I hope all our employees will eventually be tobacco-free,” Bock said. “It’s a statement to the public that this is a healthy agency and a healthy campus.”