Some time ago the Surgeon General came out with a report that second hand smoking is a health hazard for those being exposed. Years ago it was determined that tobacco use is a health hazard. Tobacco contributes to cancer, lung disease, heart disease and many other illnesses. Many people have died a horrible death as a result of prior tobacco use.

Many people are affected by the second-hand scourge and cannot stand it. This especially is true with former smokers. They seem to be effected by it more than those who had never smoked. While there are those who will argue that they should have the right to smoke -- most anywhere, there are others who think it is wrong to have to breathe the smoke (which is hazardous to their health). Non-smokers' right to breathe air that is not contaminated is violated.

More and more places are banning tobacco use altogether, including entire cities and states. It is nice to go into a restaurant and not have to ask for the non-smoking session, because the entire facility is non-smoking. Why is it that in many restaurants to get to the non-smoking section you have to go through the smoking area?

It has become almost standard that work places are to be smoke free. A work place that is not smoke free may be determined as being a health hazard for the employees. Being in a smoke environment at a work site has resulted in law suits by employees who developed health problems. Still, many of the smokers will take unscheduled breaks and go outside, usually near the door, for smoke breaks. The county commissioners banned smoking in the work areas in the courthouse a few years ago and designated an area on the ground floor as a smoke area. Still, many non-smokers walked through the area and had to smell the distasteful smoke. It also made its way into the offices and other rooms on that floor. A few months ago the county commissioners made the right step by banning smoking entirely in the courthouse. While it is much better, often someone is smoking near a door outside and contaminating the air for non-smokers.

Health facilities should set a high standard in regard to a health hazard that affects a large number of the population. Smoking at Nevada Regional Medical Center has been moved outside for several years, and is accepted that there is no smoking inside the facilities.

Can you imagine walking in a room where a person is smoking while on oxygen? It has happened in the past.

There have been times when smokers would be near the door and to get inside meant being exposed to the smoke.

More than once when coming out the north door, someone would be standing there smoking. It was a temptation to tell them to get away from the door to do their smoking. A few months ago, the smoking area was moved farther away from the door in front -- that helped some.

It was a surprise and pleasing when it was announced early in the year that NRMC is to become tobacco free on the entire campus beginning Sept. 1. That means that beginning this Friday, tobacco use on the premises, including the parking lots, will be the thing of the past. Notice they are using the term tobacco, not only smoking, but all tobacco. This not only includes the workers, but everyone, patients and guests. The other facilities, Moore-Few and Barone care centers and the rural health clinics at Rich Hill and Sheldon are included.

Charlene Clause, vice president of care services at Nevada Regional Medical Center, said that other hospitals in the area will be going free of tobacco on Sept. 1, including Butler, El Dorado Springs, Carthage, Joplin and Springfield. Many in St. Louis and other states are already tobacco-free. Doctors will be giving patients having difficulty patches and gum. The behavior unit went tobacco-free two years ago. The freedom of tobacco in hospitals is a result of regulation passed by Missouri Hospital Association.

She said that Missouri is slow getting it enforced. Ohio, Colorado and other states already have it in effect. It will be interesting to observe as it goes in effect -- other hospitals say it is not that bad.

Hopefully people will understand.

According to Clause, one-third of the employees were smokers. They have been offered free patches and gum to help them to stop smoking. There have been smoking censations classes offered and well attended. At least 15 to 20 of the employees have stopped smoking. Employees will not be allowed to smoke on breaks. They can leave the premises during the lunch break, but have to have supervisor approval.

Something of this type is not agreeable with everyone. The younger people are expected to have the most resistance to it. One employee said that it might be better for the smokers to smoke than put up with their emotions.

In a care center, if a patient smokes, the regulations require that they be permitted to smoke. At present this applies to only one person in Moore-Few. Efforts have been made to alert everyone that this policy is coming, including putting reminders on food trays that there are so many dates before the campus becomes tobacco free.

There are many who disagree, but my opinion is this is a great for NRMC and the other hospitals to go tobacco free -- it is a step in the right direction. Our local NRMC is to be complimented in joining with the others to adopt this policy. It is a stride toward making it a healthy community.

Now what is needed is for Missouri to join with Colorado and other states to make the entire state tobacco free.