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JBSA News
NEWS | Feb. 12, 2016

Brooke Army Medical Center now a tobacco-free medical campus

BAMC Public Affairs Brooke Army

Medical Center on Fort Sam Houston became a tobacco-free medical campus Feb. 1, joining an effort that’s sweeping medical facilities across the city, state and nation.

Patients, staff members and visitors to BAMC can no longer light up, chew or use any other tobacco product on the facility’s campus. The building and the grounds, to include the parking lot, are tobacco-free, meaning all tobacco products – cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars and pipes – are prohibited.

“The harmful effects of tobacco are the leading cause of preventable death and chronic illness in the United States today, and there is no risk-free level of exposure to second-hand smoke,” said Dr. Jackie Hayes, pulmonologist and physician champion for BAMC’s tobacco cessation program. “The tobacco-free campus initiative will allow us to provide a location that is safe from these known hazards for our beneficiaries, visitors and staff.”

The medical campus includes all property owned, operated, maintained or leased by BAMC, to include the hospital and outlying facilities on Fort Sam Houston. Parking lots are considered part of the medical campus, and tobacco use is not permitted in private vehicles on the medical campus property. Also included in the medical campus are the Schertz Medical Home, Westover Hills Medical Home, Capt.  Jennifer M. Moreno Primary Care Clinic, McWethy Troop Medical Clinic and Spc. Taylor Burk Clinic at Camp Bullis.

In accordance with Army Regulation 600-63 and Air Force Instruction 40-102, all forms of tobacco are prohibited, including cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, all vaping devices, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco.

The initiative is also in support of the 2020 Department of Defense goal for creating a tobacco free workforce and installations. By becoming a Tobacco Free Medical Campus, the U.S. Army Medical Command policy is extending the tobacco-free zones from the current 50 feet to encompass the entire medical campus.

“We are proud to be tobacco free and promote a healthy environment for our patients, staff and visitors,” said BAMC Commander Col. Evan Renz. “As a system for health, becoming tobacco free is the right thing to do and demonstrates our commitment to health and wellness.”

To help staff comply with this policy, BAMC has expanded its tobacco cessation support and services to beneficiaries and BAMC’s civil service staff members. To register for tobacco cessation services, contact BAMC Health Promotion by calling 916-7646/7543.