Southlake Goes Smoke Free

Southlake Goes Smoke Free
What this means for Our Patients
Frequently Asked Questions
Smoking statistics: Did you know…?

Southlake Goes Smoke Free

What this means for Our Patients

For the comfort of inpatients who smoke and can not while in the hospital, or would rather not travel off hospital property to smoke, Southlake will offer Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) as part of their care while they are in hospital. This therapy is available in several forms, including the patch and gum, such as Nicorette.

As part of Southlake’s move to become a smoke-free facility, smoking cessation counseling will also be offered to inpatients who smoke. If you are interested in quitting smoking, let your nurse know, and ask for information on how to quit.

If you have additional questions or concerns about how a Smoke Free Southlake may impact your hospital stay, please contact our Patient Relations Office at 905-895-4521 ext. 2290.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why has Southlake gone Smoke Free?
Do patients have to leave hospital property to smoke?
Where can I smoke? What are the boundaries of hospital property?
I want to quit smoking. Can Southlake help me quit?
I’m a patient in the Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation Clinic, can I get free Nicotine Replacement Therapy?

We know that we must lead by example! Therefore, Southlake is taking the initiative to expand smoking restrictions beyond the provincial requirements to ensure a healthy environment and to protect our patients, visitors, staff, physicians, and volunteers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. 

With the opening of the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre in November 2009, the need to prohibit smoking on Southlake property is more important than ever.

If a patient declines NRT and wishes to smoke, they will have to leave hospital property to do so. Patients who wish to smoke will be required to sign a waiver each time they leave their nursing unit.

Inclusion: Sunnyhill Park
In support of Southlake’s Smoke Free policy, the Town of Newmarket has also designated Sunnyhill Park, south of the Southlake Village. The smoke free boundary extends to Queen Street in this area. Grace Street from Roxborough Road to the cul-de-sac west of Prospect Street also falls within Hospital property.

I smoke and will be visiting a patient at Southlake in the future, where can I smoke?
As of April 1, 2009, smoking will not be permitted anywhere on hospital property. Anyone, including patients, visitors, staff, physicians, and volunteers, wishing to smoke will have to leave the property to do so.

I am coming to Southlake for a planned surgery, and will be in the hospital for a few days. I will not be able to leave the Hospital property to smoke. Can you do anything to reduce my cravings for a cigarette?
To help make inpatients more comfortable during their time in the hospital, Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) can be provided free of charge. NRT comes in many forms, including the patch, gum, and lozenges.

Southlake is currently piloting a smoking cessation program through our Cardiac Program. Patients who participate in this program will have the option of enlisting themselves in a follow-up program to track their progress over six months. The follow-up phone calls are automated, with the patient receiving eight phone calls over a 6-month period.

I’m an outpatient, can I get free Nicotine Replacement Therapy?
Unfortunately no, we can only offer Nicotine Replacement therapy to patients while they are admitted to a Hospital bed.

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Smoking statistics: Did you know…?

• The Ontario government spends $817,733,502 on acute care hospitalization for both active and passive smokers
  
• It costs over $2,000 a year, to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day
  
• Tobacco kills approximately 37,000 Canadians each year
  
• Diseases caused by second-hand smoke include: Heart Disease, Lung Cancer, Nasal Sinus Cancer and Non-Malignant Respiratory Disease
  
• 300 non-smokers will die of lung cancer and at least 700 non-smokers will die of coronary heart disease caused by exposure to second-hand smoke

• Each year, more than 1,000 non-smoking Canadians die from second-hand smoke
  
• Second-hand smoke causes sore eyes and throat, nasal irritation, headaches, coughing and wheezing, nausea and dizziness
  
• Breathing in second-hand smoke can also trigger asthma attacks and increase your chances of getting bronchitis and pneumonia
  
• Non-smokers who are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke have a higher risk of contracting lung cancer and heart disease.  Increased chances of cancer of the sinuses, brain, breast, uterine, cervix, thyroid, as well as leukemia and lymphoma are also noted

• Last year more than one-half million Canadians quit smoking (513 426 people)
• On average it takes 3.1 attempts before someone quits smoking
• More than half of Canadians who smoked at one time have now successfully quit smoking
• Most smokers – men and women – are intending to quit in the next 6 months

• Within 8 hours of quitting smoking, carbon monoxide levels drop in your body and oxygen levels in your blood increases
• After 2 days, your sense of smell and taste begin to improve
• Within 2 weeks to 3 months, your lungs work better making it easier to breathe
• After 6 months, coughing, sinus congestion, tiredness and shortness of breath improve
• Within 1 year of quitting, your risk of a smoking-related heart attack is reduced by half

Suggested Links
For more information on how to quit smoking, contact the Canadian Smokers’ Helpline at 1 877-513-5333. 

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