John C. Lincoln Health Network will be tobacco-free on Sept. 1 when a new policy takes effect for patients, visitors and employees.

The policy will impact the hospitals, physician practices, urgent care and community service programs, everything connected to the John C. Lincoln Health Network. Currently, Network policy restricts smoking to certain areas outside the hospital buildings and other locations. The new policy covers all John C. Lincoln properties inside and outside, including parking areas.

"We are committed to providing quality care and a healing environment for the people we care for," said Network President and CEO Rhonda Forsyth. "We know that patients who use tobacco products do not recover as quickly as those who don't. In addition, it's important that we limit the effect of secondhand smoke in all of our locations."

The policy was created with a task force of employees made up of people who use tobacco and people who do not. Nicotine Replacement Therapy, nicotine-based smoking cessation aids such as gum or patches, will be available in the gift shops at John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital and at John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital.

The new policy does not require employees who are tobacco users to stop using tobacco products. However, for employees who want to quit, the Respiratory departments are offering help in conjunction with the Arizona Smokers Helpline (ASHline).

The Arizona Smokers' Helpline (ASHLine) has been helping people quit tobacco since 1995 by offering free telephone help (1-800-556-6222) and Web-based quit services (ashline.org) along with providing free training and technical assistance to health care providers statewide.