Tobacco policy

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Sunday, October 9, 2011

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Serving Searcy and White County, Ark., since 1854

Harding hosts old foe West Georgia Cancer Center open house set for today The Bisons returned home Saturday after 2 weeks on the road to face a former GSC rival. — Page 1B

The open house for the Cancer Center of Excellence will be held from 2-4 p.m. today at 415 Rodgers. — Page 3A

Tobacco policy a growing trend White County Medical Center

n Will no longer hire tobacco/nicotine users n Part of growing national trend n Studies show policy will limit Montgomery applicants for supporting jobs

Groups express concern about WCMC hiring policy

By Molly M. Fleming mfleming@thedailycitizen.com White County Medical Center recently changed its hiring policy and will no longer hire people who use tobacco or nicotine.

While this policy is new to Central Arkansas, the policy is part of a national growing trend.

Some hospitals in Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas have stopped hiring smokers within the past

year, and more could be setting the policy in the future. The policy is legal under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act because it does not discriminate against race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetic information.

The hospitals, along with WCMC, have all said the change is in regard to health care costs, worker productivity and to set a standard for healthy living.

“We created the new policy as part of an overall wellness effort to have a positive impact on our associates health and well-being” said WCMC President and CEO Ray Montgomery in an email.

“Our goal in creating the policy was to

increase productivity, lower healthcare costs and contribute to the health of our associates.”

But organizations across the country — including a non-smoking organization and a workers’ rights organization — have said that these type of hiring policies are not good business, and some state legislators agree.

More than half of the U.S. states and the District of Columbia have passed laws that make it illegal to not hire someone because of their tobacco or nicotine use. However, some states, including Continued on Page 2A

Over 70 dogs have their day at Barkin’ in the Park

White County Cleanup

When: Wednesday through Saturday Where: White County Fairgrounds Times vary each day

County cleanup set for this week Fairgrounds open for dumping starting Wednesday

By Molly M. Fleming mfleming@thedailycitizen.com Before the leaves start to fall, White County residents are encouraged to get rid of the extra waste around their property during the White County Cleanup, which in correlation with the Great Arkansas Cleanup.

The cleanup is set for Wednesday through Saturday and all items must be disposed of at the White County Fairgrounds.

“We hope local civic groups will get involved and clean up around the roads,” said Holly Pulley, with the White County Judge’s office. “School groups and other organizations are encouraged to attend and get involved in cleaning up our county since they will be able to drop off any Continued on Page 3A

Above: Ken Madden of Searcy is led by his Chesapeake Laborador, Teal, around the gazebo at Spring Park in Searcy during the Barkin’ in the Park dog parade on Saturday morning. Madden’s other dog, Baby, a Yorkshire Terrier, follows behind in a shiny outfit, escorting her grandmother Bea Madden.

The event was hosted by the Humane Society of Searcy as an effort to raise awareness of pet adoption through the animal shelter. More than 70 dogs participated in the event.

Left: Harley, an English Bulldog, is escorted through the dog parade in the back of a wagon. He is owned by Mike Coffey of Judsonia. More photos from Saturday's event appear on Page 3A. Photos by Molly M. Fleming/ mfleming@thedailycitizen.com

Hot Springs residential care facility shut down due to violations

By Jim Newson Hot Springs Sentinel-Record HOT SPRINGS — Authorities on Friday closed the Lakeside Residential Care facility on Stanage Terrace for alleged fire, building and safety code violations.

Officials from the Hot Springs Fire Department, the Garland County Sheriff's Department, the Morning Star Volunteer Fire Department and

the Arkansas Department of Human Services notified the facility's management of the alleged violations around noon Friday. The facility includes a main office and several independent living cottages.

"We're shutting this place down and we're getting these people placed where they need to be and where they can be taken care of," Angela Graybeal, Garland County Sheriff's Department

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Today: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s.

Tonight: Partly cloudy.

Lows in the mid 50s.

Vol. 157, No. 243 ©2011 The Daily Citizen

investigator, told The Sentinel-Record outside the care facility's office.

"The reason we're moving these people is that it's not safe for them to be here," she said. "A lot of these places are fire traps and they don't need to be here. We're closing it down."

Describing the condition of one elderly man authorities noticed while inspecting a cottage, Graybeal said, "He was probably in his late 70s, he was very

thin and supposedly has dementia and schizophrenia. He doesn't know what day it is. He's living by himself. He's got boils on his legs. He just does not look to be in good health whatsoever."

Graybeal said the GCSD "has had a lot of reports out here, and we decided we were going to get with the fire department and come out here with a building inspector and we were going to see what's going on."

INDEX LOCAL, 2A OPINIONS, 4A LIFESTYLES, 5A CALENDAR/OBITUARIES, 6A SPORTS, 1B CLASSIFIEDS, 5B

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Court upholds execution rules

The Associated Press LITTLE ROCK — A federal appeals court has turned down appeals by eight Arkansas death row inmates who claim that the state's rules and procedures for executions are unconstitutional.

Marcel Wayne Williams filed one lawsuit and seven other condemned inmates filed a similar court action. A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis addressed both lawsuits in its Friday ruling, saying the inmates raised only speculative concerns.

A related lawsuit in Pulaski County Circuit Court is under appeal by the state.

The Arkansas DemocratGazette reports that Circuit Judge Tim Fox ruled in August that a portion of a law the Legislature passed in 2009 governing executions is unconstitutional.

Fox found that the law improperly gave the Department of Correction too much authority in choosing drugs to be used in lethal injections.

The state has no scheduled executions.

Doing nothing is very hard to do ... you never know when you're finished.

Leslie Nielsen

Canadian actor, 1926-2010

Contact us: 3000 E. Race, Searcy, AR 72143, (Phone) 501-268-8621, (Fax) 501-268-6277

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Page 2A • Sunday, October 9, 2011

Local

WCMC: Groups express concern about hiring policy

Cancer Center of Excellence opening What: Open house When: 2-4 p.m. today.

Where: 415 Rodgers Drive, Searcy

Continued from Page 1A

Cancer Center open house set for today

The White County Medical Foundation open house for the Cancer Center of Excellence will be held from 2-4 p.m. today at 415 Rodgers Drive in Searcy.

Guests will be able to tour the new facility and meet the oncologists. Refreshments will be served.

“This is a momentous occasion, and I hope our community will join us as we celebrate the opening of the Cancer Center,” White County Medical Center President & CEO Ray Montgomery said.

“This is an incredible facility that brings comprehensive cancer care close to home.”

The Cancer Center of Excellence was built through a partnership between White County Medical Center, CARTI, White County Oncology and Radiology Associates, PA (RAPA). It encompasses a chemotherapy treatment center, radiation therapy, the Searcy Breast Center, a Diagnostic Center with PET Scanner, appearance center, chapel, conference/education room and counseling center.

“The RAPA/Searcy Breast Center is proud to be a partner in the Cancer Center of Excellence,” said RAPA Chief Administrative Officer Alicia R. Kunert.

“We believe our role in the fight against breast cancer and for the cure is early screening, detection, and diagnostic support for our

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patients and caregivers as they plan their care.”

The most advanced technology each health care partner has to offer converges in the new center, which leads to providing a comprehensive approach to cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment. Imaging services in the Cancer Center include advances in digital mammography, located in the Breast Center. Also, CARTI features the most advanced linear accelerator in the country.

“If you have ever been a cancer patient or cared for someone who is, you know the value of making treatment easily accessible,” said Janice E. Buford, President and CEO of CARTI. “This center offers cancer patients everything they need for treatment, all under one roof. We are thrilled for CARTI to be the radiation therapy provider and partner in the Cancer Center of Excellence.”

Another important piece of new equipment in the Cancer Center is a new PET scanner, which is vital in diagnosing cancer. Previously, physicians had to rely on a mobile PET scanner that visited Searcy once a week, which meant a limited number of patients could be scheduled in one day. The permanent PET scanner allows greater flexibility in scheduling appointments and will allow for many more patients to be seen during the week.

Missouri, make an exception for health care organizations.

No matter the organization, the American Legacy Foundation, which “is dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit” has taken a stance that antitobacco hiring policies are not the best way to deal with people who smoke.

“We think that these policies are the wrong way to go,” said Ellen Vergyas, chief counsel for the foundation.

“We think that helping smokers quit is a terrific policy and we think that encouraging a smoke-free environment is great too. But we think that refusing to hire people [who smoke] is a short-sighted and not effective policy.

“Smoking is an addictive behavior that the smoker began when they were a teenager. It’s not an adult choice that they made and should be penalized for. It was a teenage choice.

“Also, this type of policy disproportionately affects those at the lower end of the education scale. When you look at a hospital, it won’t affect the doctors, even if they are considered employees. But it will affect the nurses aids and other supporting staff.”

According to a 2009 study by the foundation, 31 percent of adults below the federal poverty level smoked, compared to 19 percent of those at or above the poverty level.

At the same time, 42 percent of unemployed adults are smokers, while only 26 percent of full-time employees smoke.

The study also found that 49 percent of adults age 25

and older with a General Education Diploma are smokers, followed by 34 percent of adults with nine to 11 years of education.

Adults with undergraduate and graduate degrees have the lowest rates of smoking, at 11 percent and 6 percent respectively.

Still, Vergyas said, smoking is not the only issue affecting the health of Americans today.

“Smoking is not the only cause of additional health costs,” she said. “Is the hospital going to not hire obese people? Are they going to refuse to hire skydivers?

A lot of people under take behavior that is not good for their health.”

Concerning the health care costs issue, Vergyas said that for some people, they only have health insurance because they get it at their job, especially those at the lower end of the education scale. “[The American Legacy Foundation] thinks it is not a wise policy to refuse to hire someone because they are a smoker. While we are an anti-smoking foundation, we are not anti-smoker.”

The National Workrights Institute calls policies that restrict hiring of smokers and tobacco users to be lifestyle discrimination policies, and equates the non-hiring of a smoker or tobacco user to not hiring someone who partakes in other legal activities when they are not at work.

The American Civil Liberties Union has also taken a stance against companies who refuse to hire someone because they are a smoker or use nicotine.

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“Employers' desire to keep their health care insurance costs down is understandable, but it is unclear that employers can save much by engaging in lifestyle discrimination,” state the ACLU on its website, www.aclu.org.

“To permit such discrimination allows, in effect, the banning of perfectly capable workers from any type of employment, thus denying them the opportunity to earn a living for themselves and their families.”

Montgomery said he does not thinks the new policy will limit the quality of staff hired at the hospital.

“If an individual who uses tobacco or nicotine wishes to be hired at WCMC, they may take the steps toward smoking cessation and apply or reapply for hire,” he said. “It is our priority to hire well-qualified and talented individuals to care for our patients. Not hiring those who use tobacco/nicotine will not interfere with that priority. Our research suggests that smoking can reduce employee productivity and performance.”

Montgomery listed a number of hospitals across the country who have already implemented a similar policy, including Cleveland Clinic and Baylor Health Care System in Texas. He said he has spoken with officials from other hospitals in Arkansas who have asked for information about the policy so they may implement something similar on their campuses.

“We are not the leader in the arena; we are simply taking the same steps to move in the right direction

for a healthier workforce,” Montgomery said.

The policy created by WCMC is the latest in a long line of state laws that started with banning smoking from restaurants and has now created an increase in the tax on cigarettes, and banned smoking on public college campuses and hospital grounds.

Jenny Rogers, manager at the Tobacco Station in Searcy, said she does not agree with the new hospital policy and is tired of the regulations against smokers.

“Tobacco users already pay an added tax for a state trauma center that we haven’t heard anything about since the tax was passed,” she said.

“I don’t think it’s fair to test for tobacco because I don’t think smoking cigarettes inhibits someone’s ability to perform a job.”

At a tobacco shop in Judsonia, one employees said she thinks that tobacco users are starting to get “a bad rap.” “[Businesses] should not be able to tell people what they can do during their own time.” she said. “There are already enough restrictions.

When I would go out to eat, you would always have a cigarette after dinner in the smoking section, but you can’t even do that anymore.”

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Join us for our annual Trick-or-Treat on the Square on Monday, October 31. To reserve a table to pass out candy and information about your business or organization, please complete this form and mail it with payment (checks made payable to the Downtown Searcy Association) to P.O. Box 1127, Searcy, AR 72145.

Cost: $15.00 for business/organizations located outside of the downtown district $5.00 for downtown businesses that are not members of the Downtown Searcy Association FREE for Downtown Searcy Association members Decoration and table set-up begins at 3:30 p.m. on the 31st. Tables are provided but chairs are not. Prize will be given for best decorations! We are expecting 3,000+ trick-or-treaters this year so bring plenty of candy. For more information, call Marianne at 268-3434 or Amy at 279-9007.

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Tuesday, Oct. 11, 7 P.M. Administration Auditorium Tickets $5 Sold at the Door.

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