Mayo Clinic to develop Global Smoke-Free Worksite Challenge

Mayo Clinic announced today at the annual Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) meeting in New York City its partnership with other organizations to develop a Global Smoke-Free Worksite Challenge.

The challenge's goal is to expand the number of employees of all sectors able to work in a smoke-free environment. The effort is a global multi-sector partnership comprised of private sector companies, nongovernmental organizations and governments. Partners are committed to making their worksites 100 percent smoke-free and commit to assist others to do so.

"Mayo Clinic has had a leading role, as a large employer, in creating a smoke-free worksite for close to 30 years," says John Noseworthy, M.D., Mayo Clinic president and CEO. "We are committed to the needs of our patients and employees, and we are excited to be a partner in this challenge to help make workplaces around the world smoke-free so all employees have the right to clean air." Dr. Noseworthy was part of a press conference today to announce Mayo's commitment.

The challenge builds on the commitment Mayo Clinic brought last year to CGI. That initiative, called Global Bridges, has begun to build and energize a worldwide network of health care providers to lead development of tobacco control and treatment programs in their countries and regions. In less than a year, Global Bridges has trained more than 5,800 health care providers from 31 countries in sessions ranging from short webinars to intensive workshops.

"Secondhand smoke affects everyone," says Richard Hurt, M.D., chairman of Global Bridges and founding director of Mayo's Nicotine Dependence Center. "This challenge protects workers from secondhand smoke who don't have any choice. Smokers in a smoke-free environment are more likely to reduce their smoking and increase the chances of them quitting smoking, so it's healthy for everyone. Right now, over 30 countries across the world have smoke-free workplace laws, which is pretty amazing. We're hoping to increase that number dramatically with this initiative."