EIRMC goes tobacco-free

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Story Published: Nov 20, 2008 at 6:33 PM MST

Story Updated: Dec 18, 2008 at 3:00 PM MST

By Tommy Noel

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IDAHO FALLS - The air will be a little cleaner around one Eastern Idaho hospital. EIRMC has decided to go smoke free.

Eyewitness News Reporter Tommy Noel was at the hospital for the ceremonial removal of the "Butt Hut."

"It's a hospital. We probably shouldn't be smoking here anyway," says EIRMC visitor.

And there won't be any more smoking at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. The hospital campus is now officially smoke free.

"I think it's healthy for our employees, healthier for our patients," says Carrie Massey.

The smoke free campus goes in conjunction with the Great American Smokeout Day.

"It's foremost in your mind, so it's a good time to bring it up," says EIRMC visitor.

The hospital has brought it up with employees who smoke, with some free cessation classes and medications.

"We're not asking them to quit, but many people have used it as a reason to quit," says Jordan Herget.

To mark the official start of the smoke free campus, the common hangout spot to light up, affectionately called the Butt Hut was taken away.

"The Butt Hut has been a place for gathering and for smoking in the past, so now it's gone, it's no longer symbolic of tobacco use," says Herget.

"It's the hardest thing to do," says Scott Hill.

Scott Hill has tried to quit several times. He's at the hospital, visiting his son, who's in surgery.

"Do you think today might be the day to quit," asks Tommy Noel.

"It could be," replies Hill.

And it could be the day for the 15 percent of employees at EIRMC who do smoke.

"One gal came up to me the other day and she says, '10 days, I haven't been smoking,' that's great," says Massey.

The tobacco-free campus doesn't affect everyone, patients at the Behavioral Health Center will still be allowed to smoke.

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