Preparing Your Company for November 17th’s Great American Smoke Out!

November 17^th is the American Lung Association's Great American Smoke Out.  While smoking is a personal decision, comprehensive wellness programs have gone a long way in helping motivate employees to quit and reap the resulting health benefits. 

The health impact of smoking includes a long list of serious illnesses; the economic statistics compiled by the CDC are staggering with tobacco use responsible for at least $96 billion per year in direct medical costs and $96.9 billion per year in lost productivity due to sickness and premature death.   While the CDC reports that smoking has declined in recent years, “variations in smoking prevalence persist particularly by race/ethnicity, education, income, and region”.  In addition,

 a study published in the November issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that some elderly adults may turn to alcohol or cigarettes as a way to cope with financial stress, particularly those with less education.

Wellness Corporate Solutions (WCS) encourages companies to be proactive in encouraging healthier lifestyle choices and supporting behavior change for their employees: 

1. Adopt policies to ban smoking in buildings, corporate campuses, and company vehicles
2. Educate employees on the health risks associated with smoking during health screenings and on-site health coaching
3. Offer financial incentives/disincentives for employees and their spouses to adopt non-smoking lifestyles
4. Encourage employees to quit by offering smoking cessation programs like WCS’ partnership with the American Lung Association’s Freedom from Smoking program which provides support at on-site clinics, online program and telephonic coaching calls
5. Evaluate and celebrate the success of existing smoking cessation programs