(Monroe,GA)  Walton Regional Medical Center is going tobacco-free on January 4, 2010.  After this date, no tobacco use of any kind will be permitted anywhere on the hospital campus – inside or outside.  This initiative will include the elimination of designated areas inside and outside Walton Regional Medical Center where employees, patients, and visitors had previously been permitted to use tobacco products.

Gary Lang, CEO of Walton Regional Medical Center said, “We have joined hospitals across Georgia in an effort to become tobacco-free.  Our hospital is committed to the health and safety of all our employees, patients, and visitors and we feel that we should take a leadership role on major health issues.  Making our campus completely tobacco-free firmly supports our belief in the health and wellness of our people.”

Over 10,000 Georgians die every year from tobacco use.  One out of every 6 people who die have died because they smoked.  Smoking costs Georgians $1.8 billion in direct health care costs each year.

184,000 children under the age of 18 in Georgia will ultimately die a premature death from the effects of tobacco.  Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined.

Tobacco use is the number one PREVENTABLE cause of death in the world.  Every year, nearly half a million people die from the effects of tobacco.

“Our hospital is not trying to force anyone to quit smoking tobacco products.  Our commitment to this tobacco-free initiative is a concrete way to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to healthy living,” said Lang.   The hospital will continue to offer smoking cessation classes and provide nicotine patches as needed for patient care. “We will work closely with all of our Medical Staff to assist patients receiving care at our hospital,” said Lang.

“While we realize this is a change, we are asking for the community’s support in our tobacco-free initiative as we move forward to make Walton County healthier,” said Chief of Staff Mark Benak, MD.