CLEARLAKE – St. Helena Hospital Clearlake is going tobacco-free on Nov. 20, the date of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout.

No tobacco use of any kind will be permitted indoors or outdoors on the hospital campus and at the family health centers in Clearlake, Middletown and Kelseyville.

“As a health care organization, St. Helena Hospital Clearlake is committed to the health and safety of its employees, patients and visitors,” said Linda Gibson, senior vice president of operations. “We have a responsibility to take a leadership role for this major health issue and are joining hospitals across the country in going tobacco-free to promote good health.”

Smoking is the No. 1 preventable cause of death in the United States, according to American Lung Association. The hospital is assisting employees and spouses who want to quit smoking by offering free cessation classes and providing educational materials and nicotine replacement therapies.

St. Helena Hospital Clearlake is a 25-bed critical access hospital serving the communities of Middletown, Hidden Valley, Cobb, Lower Lake, Kelseyville, Clearlake and Clearlake Oaks. For more information, visit www.sthelenahospital.org.

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