Tobacco-Free Campus

No Smoking Policy at St. John’s

St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital are committed to promoting the health and well-being of our patients, employees, and the communities we serve. Because of this pledge, our facilities implemented a tobacco-free policy in 2011 to improve the environment for healthy living.

Smoking and the use of any tobacco product is not permitted on our facility grounds, including our buildings, parking lots, walkways, the Medical Pavilion at St. John’s adjacent to St. John’s Regional Medical Center, and the Finance Building across from St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital. This policy applies to everyone at St. John’s, including patients, visitors, medical staff, volunteers, vendors, and employees.

St. John’s Hospitals encourage all who come to our facilities to think of the positive impact of this environmental change, and we look forward to creating a healthier environment for everyone. To learn more about smoking cessation classes and programs available to Ventura County community members, please call St. John’s Community Health Education Department at (805) 988-2865 or St. John’s Cancer Center of Ventura County at (805) 988-2641.

Additional Resources:

• American Cancer Society
• American Lung Association – (800) 586-4872
• National Cancer Institute – (800) 44U-QUIT

Why Quit Smoking?

Quitting smoking has major health benefits that start right away. According to the American Cancer Society and the U.S. Surgeon General:

• former smokers live longer than people who keep smoking
• quitting smoking lowers the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis
• women who stop smoking before they get pregnant, or even during the first three to four months of pregnancy, reduce their risk of having a low birth-weight baby
• the health benefits of quitting smoking are far greater than any risks from weight gain or any emotional or psychological problems that may follow quitting
• people who stop smoking while they are young get the greatest health benefits from quitting. Those who quit in their 30s may avoid most of the risk due to tobacco use. But even smokers who quit after age 50 largely reduce their risk of dying early.

It is never too late to quit smoking!