Lung Association Applauds Iowa VA Health for Going Smokefree

On July 1, the Veterans Affairs Central Iowa Health Care System (VA) Facilities will go smokefree, so smoking will no longer be allowed at any facilities for patients, visitors, volunteers, contractors and vendors.

The American Lung Association in Iowa commends the VA for taking this important step for the health of their patients and staff and is offering smoking cessation programs to assist all patients, veterans and staff of the facilities.

“There is a long history of tobacco use in the military, so we applaud the VA for their efforts to help veterans quit tobacco. Studies report that 70 percent of veterans who use tobacco say they want to quit, so we would like to offer our proven tobacco cessation services to help those who have served our country,” said Alyssa DePhillips, health promotions specialist for the Lung Association.

Due to a new national Veterans Health Administration rule, all VA hospitals across the nation must go smoke-free by October 1. Locally, the Lung Association can provide VA patients, veterans and employees who are ready to quit smoking with the following resources:

Freedom From Smoking

The Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking helps individuals create their own unique quit plan, as well as tips and techniques to stay successful in the long run. Freedom From Smoking can be accessed online, at a group clinic and through a self-guided workbook. Those looking to quit smoking are encouraged to use the method that works best for their learning style, schedule and unique quit smoking plan. Ranked as the most effective smoking cessation program in a study of 100 managed care organizations conducted by Fordham University Graduate School of Business, Freedom From Smoking has helped hundreds of thousands participants quit smoking.

For more information about quitting smoking and how to access Freedom From Smoking, visit Lung.org/ffs or call the free Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872).