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CoxHealth institutes no-smoking policy for new employees

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CoxHealth officials said Friday the health system is instituting a no-smoking policy for employees hired starting Nov. 21.

The Springfield-based employer of nearly 10,000 in the area would grandfather in employees hired before the deadline but is encouraging them to stop smoking, according to a news release.

Potential employees will be required to pass a nicotine screening test along with other drug tests required as part of the application process.

“Every year, 443,000 Americans die due to smoking related illness,” CoxHealth President and CEO Steve Edwards said in the release. “We could no longer reconcile the fact that our mission is to improve the health of our community, and we were not taking an assertive stand against tobacco products.”

Hopeful employees who do not pass the smoke-screening tests will be offered Cox-sponsored tobacco cessation classes at no charge, and encouraged to reapply for employment once they have been tobacco-free for 90 days. Current employees - and their dependents - will be offered cessation classes and have their co-pays waived for the prescription drug Chantix, used to help quit smoking.

With the implementation of the policy, CoxHealth joins some 6,000 other organizations across the country, including Cleveland Clinic, Baylor Health Care System and the World Health Organization, according to the release.

“Smoking is the worst self-inflicted damage a human being can do to themselves. As a cancer specialist, I see the devastating consequences of smoking on a daily basis, not only on the victims of this terrible habit but also their families and loved ones,” said Dr. Abe Abdalla, medical director of oncology services and radiation oncology for CoxHealth, in the release. “As health care providers we should lead by example. Our community expects us to take the lead on important issues like this one. I am very proud of CoxHealth for taking this crucial step and hope other health systems in the area – and in the entire country – follow suit.”[[In-content Ad]]

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