Effective July 1, 2008, all Health Central Hospital campuses has become tobacco-free. Our mission is to improve the health of our community. As part of that, we believe it is necessary to create a healthier environment for everyone that comes to a Health Central Hospital campus. This includes those who come here to receive care, visit a patient or work.

A tobacco-free campus means that all designated smoking areas are eliminated, and the use of all tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, pipes, etc.) is prohibited. This applies to all Health Central Hospital campuses including the hospital, Surgical Center, Wound Healing Center, ExpressCare and Health Central Hospital Park.

Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking

The long range health benefits of quitting smoking are very well known, but did you know that smokers can see a health improvement within hours, even minutes after putting their cigarette out?

20 minutes after quitting - Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.

12 hours after quitting - The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting - Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

1 to 9 months after quitting - Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.

1 year after quitting - The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.

5 years after quitting - Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.

10 years after quitting - The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker’s. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix and pancreas decrease.

15 years after quitting - The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker’s.

*American Lung Association, “When Smokers Quit – The Health Benefits Over Time.”