Why is the NIH Bethesda Campus tobacco
free?
Tobacco use remains the leading preventable
cause of death in this country and secondhand
smoke is known to be a cancer-causing agent.
Devastating cancers are caused by
chewing tobacco products. On November 10, 2004,
the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) Secretary announced the Tobacco-Free
HHS Initiative. This policy requires all properties
owned or leased by HHS agencies to be tobacco
free insofar as labor and lease agreements
permit. The goal of Tobacco-Free HHS is to
improve the health of its employees by promoting
tobacco use cessation while protecting employees
and the public from exposure to environmental
tobacco smoke in the workplace.
Furthermore, the National Institutes of Health
is the Nation's Medical Research Agency. Our
mission is science in the pursuit of fundamental
knowledge that will advance medicine and prevent
disease. The NIH seeks to create a healthy
atmosphere and to protect the health of all
who work at or visit the agency. It is imperative
that NIH be tobacco free.
Are all tobacco products prohibited
on the NIH Bethesda Campus?
Effective October 1, 2008, the use of all
tobacco products is prohibited on the NIH Bethesda
Campus. This includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes,
smokeless tobacco ("snuff"), and
any other tobacco products. The use of these
products in private vehicles located on the
NIH Bethesda Campus is also prohibited.
What are the benefits to a tobacco-free
NIH?
A tobacco-free NIH protects the health of
nonsmoking employees while providing an environment
conducive to tobacco users who are working
to either quit or cut back on their use of
tobacco. A tobacco-free NIH is expected to
have a substantially greater effect on tobacco
consumption than current policies that permit
smoking in designated areas. The benefits
of the Tobacco-Free HHS are diverse and include:
- Increased productivity
- Decreased absenteeism
- Lower costs of medical expenditures associated
with tobacco use
- Lower consumption rates among non-quitters
- Improved success in long-range tobacco
cessation
- Increased cost savings for employers, including
costs associated with the risk of fire, property
damage, maintenance, and employee benefits
(Worker's Compensation, Disability,
Retirement, Injury and Insurance)
How does the Tobacco Free policy apply
to current Collective Bargaining Unit members?
The NIH will continue to honor all current
Collective Bargaining Agreements containing
provisions that address smoking or tobacco,
and will implement this policy consistent with
the Agreements and its obligations under law,
rule, or regulation. Any NIH employee who is
part of a bargaining unit and has questions
about how this policy applies should contact
NIH's Employee and Labor Relations Branch
at 301-402-9203. In addition, such employees
are encouraged to contact their Union Representative.
How is the NIH tobacco-free policy
enforced?
It is the responsibility of every employee
to know and follow the policies of the NIH.
The NIH tobacco-free policy is enforced though
administrative channels, not police enforcement.
Like other administrative policies, managers
and supervisors will be responsible for assuring
that employees comply. Employees who do not
conform to this policy may be subject to administrative
action. Contractors found to be in violation
of this policy will be reported to their supervisor
at the contracting organization. Once an employee's
supervisor has been notified of a violation,
or if the supervisor directly observes a violation
by an employee under their direction, the supervisor
is responsible for discussing the violation
with the employee and taking appropriate administrative
action. Supervisors should consult with an
NIH employee relations specialist for advice
on the appropriate action to take regarding
observed or reported violations.
What tobacco use cessation programs are available?
The NIH encourages and supports employees
who request assistance in eliminating dependence
on the use of tobacco products.
All NIH employees, including contractors,
have access to the following resources, which
can help you plan your quit attempt and provide
support to remain tobacco free:
- Smokefree.gov (http://www.smokefree.gov/)
is intended to help you or someone you care
about quit smoking. Different people need
different resources as they try to quit. The
information and professional assistance on
this Web site can help you prepare to quit,
during quitting, and remain a nonsmoker.
- Quit Smoking with the Online Quit Guide:
(http://www.smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/index.html)
- National Network of Quitlines provides
live telephone support and resources and
is available at 1-800-QUIT-NOW, TTY 1-800-332-8615
NIH Federal employees have access to the following
resources:
- The NIH and the Federal Occupational Health
(FOH) provide free tobacco cessation treatment
services to NIH smokers who wish to quit
through local FOH-sponsored clinics. The
program is available at no cost to employees
if their current health insurance plan does
not cover over-the-counter treatment options
for tobacco addiction. Interested federal
employees should complete the enrollment
form (http://tobaccofree.nih.gov/cessation_enroll.doc (DOC
- 100 KB)).
For specific questions, contact Arlene Engelstad
at 1-206-615-2446 or via e-mail at aengelstad@psc.gov.
Note: To learn whether your health insurance
provider covers treatment for tobacco addiction,
please visit: http://tobaccofree.nih.gov/insurancetable.htm.
- The NIH Work/Life Center (http://hr.od.nih.gov/worklife/aboutus.htm)
offers referrals to smoking cessation support
groups.
- The employee's Institute or Center
may pay the full cost of employee Smoking
Cessation Product (SCP) participation sponsored
or approved by the Institute or Center and
completed by employees. Institutes and Centers
may also reimburse the employee up to $200
for any prescription or over-the-counter
SCP used in conjunction with an NIH-sponsored
or approved SCP. If interested, employees
should discuss alternatives with their supervisors
and administrative officers and submit Standard
Form-1034 (http://forms.nih.gov/adobe/procurement/SF1034.PDF (PDF
- 34.4 KB)),
if necessary.
To best assist employees during this transition,
the NIH is working toward providing more information
and resources on tobacco cessation. The NIH
Tobacco-Free Web site will be updated with
new information and programs, as available.
How does this policy apply to leased
facilities?
While the current NIH tobacco-free policy
applies only to the NIH Bethesda campus, agency
leadership certainly understands the importance
of this issue in other locations. Off-campus,
leased facilities have different policies that
may vary depending on the local regulations.
If you are in a leased facility, your facility
manager is the first point of contact for all
facility-related issues. For your convenience,
a list of all facility managers is located
at: http://orf.od.nih.gov/Property+Management/FacilityManagement.htm.
Leased facilities must adhere to state and
local regulations, which include those in Montgomery
County. For additional information about Montgomery
County policies, employees and/or facility
managers might wish to speak with the Montgomery
County Licensing and Regulatory Services at
240-777-3986, if the building is experiencing
challenges in this area. This Web site also
list regulations for the county: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/hhstmpl.asp?url=/Content/hhs/license/smoke.asp.
How does this policy apply to NIH-owned
facilities located outside of the Bethesda
campus?
This policy applies only to the Bethesda campus. The
previous NIH 2002 policy is still
in effect unless there is a facility specific
smoking policy.
I have noticed smokers gathering outside
entrances to the NIH campus. How will this
be addressed?
Many involved with
the tobacco-free NIH efforts will be monitoring
this situation and others that arise. The NIH
works closely with the surrounding community,
and we will continue to work with them as concerns
and issues arise.
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