Lehigh Valley Health Network is Smoke-Free

We set an example by creating a healthy environment for our patients, visitors and employees

Caring for the people of our community—at Lehigh Valley Health Network, it’s what we do best. One of the greatest ways to ensure the well-being of our community is by confronting the nation’s leading cause of preventable death – smoking. Smoking is a major risk factor for cancer, heart and lung disease, causing more than 450,000 premature deaths in the United States every year.

At Lehigh Valley Health Network, we’re committed to building a healthier community. That’s why we believe it’s extremely important to set an example for other industries throughout the Lehigh Valley to help curb the use of tobacco. The health network became the first major employer in the region to institute a completely smoke-free work environment on Jan. 1, 2007. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on all three LVHN campuses inside and outside, including parking lots and office buildings.

It’s a bold policy, but we believe the health benefits our patients, visitors and employees receive are worth it. For example, within hours after quitting, your blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal. Within weeks, your chance of suffering a heart attack decreases and you find it easier to breathe. Within a year, you have substantially reduced your risk of cancer and heart disease.

Our smoke-free campuses are just as beneficial to non-smokers. About 65,000 non-smokers die every year from secondhand smoke pollution. Children who breathe in secondhand smoke are more likely to suffer from pneumonia, bronchitis, earaches and asthma. We believe you shouldn’t have to walk through airborne toxins at the entrance to our hospitals to receive care or visit a loved one inside.

We encourage you to help us maintain a smoke-free campus. With your cooperation, we will further our goal to heal, comfort and care for all members of our community.

This page last updated 12/14/08 05:46 PM

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