Southern Tier Pediatrics, 1684 Foote Ave. Ext., Jamestown, has created a tobacco free outdoor area on its property.
The medical facility collaborated with the Tri-County Tobacco Free Programs to help reduce secondhand smoke, reduce litter and model healthy behaviors for both children and adults.
"As a health care facility serving our community, we need to lead the way in encouraging folks, especially parents, caregivers, and older patients, not to smoke,'' said Dr. Tariq Khan, Southern Tier Pediatrics owner. "This new policy will make sure secondhand smoke does not harm our youngest of patients. We also hope to reduce litter and make sure discarded cigarettes do not create a fire hazard. We support our patients and encourage their parents and caregivers to model good behavior, including tobacco free lifestyle. The children and family members visiting our location deserve tobacco free entrances and tobacco free outdoor areas. Cigarette smoke rolls into open windows and vents compromising the good health of those in and around our building. This is a healthy way to partner with the tobacco free message, keep our property clean from cigarette butts and protect our patients and the environment."
Article Photos
Pictured, from left, are Laurie Adams, Tri-County Tobacco Free Program director, and Southern Tier Pediatrics staff members Dr. Maria Diaz and Katie Bell.
The new tobacco free medical facility joins the list of 1,000 of locations across New York that have established tobacco free outdoor areas, including health care facilities, hospitals, worksites, parks, playgrounds and beaches.
"We encourage parents not to expose their children to the harmful effect of secondhand smoke," said Dr. Maria Diaz, Southern Tier Pediatrics physician. "By creating tobacco free outdoor areas we model that message and protect our patients."
"The Surgeon General has classified secondhand smoke as a class A carcinogen - a substance known to cause cancer," said Laurie Adams, Tri-County Tobacco Free Programs director. "There's no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure, inside or outside. If you can smell it, secondhand smoke is harming you. Cigarette butts are a danger to our children and to the environment. We applaud Southern Tier Pediatrics for caring about their patients and adults visiting their facility, and we know parents visiting the office will observe the new policy."
Funding for the signs was provided by the Tri-County Tobacco Free Programs. For more information on creating outdoor tobacco free areas, contact the Tri-County Tobacco Free Programs at 665-2310.