La Crosse Update
La Crosse Enforces Smoking Ban In 2007
Dec 31, 2006
LA CROSSE, Wis. Smokers in the La Crosse area who resolved to quit smoking in 2007 will have extra incentive to drop the habit.
That’s because new smoke-free policies at local schools and businesses were scheduled to take effect Jan. 1.
The no-smoking rules will apply at all Western Technical College campuses, all Franciscan Skemp clinics and hospitals, and many Gundersen Lutheran health care sites.
An estimated 15 percent of Gundersen Lutheran’s 6,189 employees and Franciscan Skemp’s 3,331 employees are smokers, as is one in four Western students.
But nonsmokers increasingly expect not to be exposed to smoke, said Western president Lee Rasch.
Dr. Jeffrey Thompson, Gundersen Lutheran’s CEO, said the policy was implemented for the health of employees and patients.
“Our goal is not to punish our smoking employees but to work with them and help them if they want to quit,” he said, noting that smoking and nonsmoking employees had input into the policy.
Gundersen Lutheran will ban smoking on the campus and adjoining public sidewalks but won’t regulate smoking in private vehicles.
Franciscan Skemp will prohibit smoking on campus and in private vehicles, according to a plan proposed by committees that included smokers.
“Most smokers have been supportive of this change,” said Dr. Thomas Grau, a Franciscan Skemp physician leader. “We want no employees quitting over it, and no one will lose their job over it. Employees just won’t be able to smoke when they’re working.”
Student government leaders at Western led the no-smoking effort, which has gotten a good reception thus far, Rasch said.
“With the health care providers adopting smoke-free campuses, we just thought it was a good community message to have smoke-free campuses along the same timeline,” Rasch said.
The no-smoking policies aren’t the first in the area. Hillview Health Care Center has had a smoke-free campus for four years, and Logistics Health Inc. and W.A. Roosevelt recently followed suit.
Viterbo University permits smoking outdoors on its campus but only in designated areas away from building entrances.
“We’re almost there as a smoke-free campus,” said Diane Brimmer, the school’s vice president of student development.
The City of La Crosse and La Crosse County are also considering smoke-free campuses. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will form a committee of faculty, staff and students to study the concept, according to Pat Karpinsky, chairwoman of the school’s academic staff council.
La Crosse Could Pass Smoking Ban
12-20-2006
WHEN IT COMES TO SMOKING IN LA CROSSE WORKPLACES,A PLAN TO BAN IS NO SCAM. THE AREA HEALTH INITIATIVE..WHICH INCLUDES LOCAL HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS..WANTS TO BAN SMOKING IN EVERY WORKPLACE. COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR DOUG MORMANN DEFENDS THE IDEA.THE CITY COUNCIL WILL LIKELY DEAL WITH THE PROPOSED BAN NEXT YEAR. IT COULD EVEN PREVENT SMOKING IN BARS.
12-20-2006
WHEN IT COMES TO SMOKING IN LA CROSSE WORKPLACES,A PLAN TO BAN IS NO SCAM. THE AREA HEALTH INITIATIVE..WHICH INCLUDES LOCAL HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS..WANTS TO BAN SMOKING IN EVERY WORKPLACE. COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR DOUG MORMANN DEFENDS THE IDEA.THE CITY COUNCIL WILL LIKELY DEAL WITH THE PROPOSED BAN NEXT YEAR. IT COULD EVEN PREVENT SMOKING IN BARS.
