As a means to provide a healthy environment for its patients, visitors and staff, as well as to comply with recent legislation, Covenant HealthCare is completing its transition to tobacco-free and smoke-free campuses on Saturday, May 1, 2010. Beginning on Saturday morning, essentially all smoking and tobacco use will be banned from the buildings and grounds of all Covenant HealthCare sites.
Per Covenant HealthCare policy:
“All persons are prohibited from the use of tobacco anywhere on Covenant property:
- Inside or outside of any Covenant-owned or leased buildings and grounds (including MedExpress sites)
- The sidewalks bordering these areas.
- All parking lots.
- In personal vehicles while on Covenant property.”
The restrictions of this policy include any and all tobacco delivery devices, including smokeless options, with the exception of Nicorette gum (which will be available for visitors in the Covenant gift shops and other locations) and nicotine patches (available by prescription). E-cigarettes, while not covered under Michigan’s smoke-free air law, are not approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are prohibited under the new Covenant policy. Prescribed nicotine delivery devices may be used in non-public areas only.
Covenant is currently developing communications tools and signage in order to assist patients and visitors to adhere to the Tobacco-Free/Smoke-Free Policy, and to encourage a smoke-free and tobacco-free lifestyle.
