Starting New Year's Day state-operated community behavioral health clinics in Region 8 will become cigarettes store free.
Patrons and employees will not be allowed to light-up or use any cigarettes online products on the grounds of these northeast Louisiana state-operated clinics: Monroe Behavioral Health Clinic, Tallulah Behavioral Health Clinic, Ruston Behavioral Health Clinic, Columbia Behavioral Health Clinic and the Bastrop Behavioral Health Clinic.
The new policy is part of DHH Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein's initiative to help make Louisiana healthier, this includes making all DHH campuses online cigarettes free.
"Each year tobacco claims 6,400 lives in Louisiana and costs the state $1.5 billion in health care," Greenstein said. "We all own our own health. Every day we have to make decisions to make ourselves, our families, our communities and our state healthier. I commend our behavioral health staff in these communities for leading this effort, which will only spread throughout DHH campuses in the coming year."
Earlier this year, the regional behavioral health clinics began preparing for the move to tobacco-free campuses. Preparation activities included educating clients, staff, contractors and Regional Advisory Council members on the new policy, providing tobacco cessation resources and posting signage and displaying educational materials in each clinic lobby.