By Molly Parker
Staff Writer

Susan Shapiro is dying for a cigarette, yet sick of smoking. That might sound like a contradiction of sorts, but it’s an internal battle quite familiar to the hundreds of thousands of nicotine addicts who have sworn their last cigarette was the last, and then picked up another. 

For more than 75 days, Shapiro has been smoke-free. She quit on Aug. 23 to help prepare her for the last day her employer, Trident Health System, would allow tobacco use on its five campuses in the region.

“I like my job there. I’ve worked there almost five years. They pay me well, and the bottom line is I don’t want to get fired,” the 63-year old patient-care coordinator said.

The hospital joins the growing number of medical facilities going smoke-free across the nation. In December 2006, the South Carolina Hospital Association’s board of directors voted to set a new policy encouraging all community hospitals to snuff out tobacco by Nov. 15, which marked the 30th anniversary of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout. “We’re supposed to be the example for the community. People go to the hospital to get well, not get sick,” said Trident Health System spokeswoman Julie Plummer.

All medical facilities already have strict anti-smoking regulations inside buildings, but before this year, the majority still allowed smoking in designated areas outside. As of mid-November, 49 of 63 medical facilities in the state have issued anti-tobacco policies for their entire campuses, including 70% of the state’s community hospitals, the hospital association reported.

“We are excited to see how many hospitals have worked to become tobacco-free inside and out over the past year,” said Thorton Kirby, the association’s president. “Doing whatever we can to help prevent the use of and exposure to tobacco products is consistent with the mission of every hospital.”

More than 6,000 state residents die every year from tobacco-related deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That figure, according to the hospital association, is greater than the number of deaths caused by alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders and suicides combined.

Visitors, patients and employees have been banned from smoking on any land owned by Roper St. Francis Healthcare since last February. The hospital chose Valentine’s Day to kick off its anti-tobacco initiative.

But not all local facilities are ready to close up the already limited spaces available for patients and employees wanting to smoke outside.

The state-owned Medical University of South Carolina still allows smoking in designated spaces outside, said hospital spokeswoman Megan Fink, noting state law bans smoking inside workplaces, but also requires the designation of smoking areas outside.

Molly Parker is a staff writer for the Business Journal. E-mail her directly at mparker@setcommedia.com.  

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