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WESTFIELD In a recent study completed by the BlueCross BlueShield Association, Western New York contained more adult cigarette smokers than any other upstate region from 2003 to 2007.

The study also found Western New York had the lowest percentage decline 7.2 percent - in the number of adult smokers who quit smoking during the same time period.

Cigarette smoking also posses a significant threat to the public's health, the study found. Smoking, the study said, is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the United States and is responsible for 8.6 million people suffering from smoke-related medical conditions, as well as around 443,000 deaths.

With those startling numbers, many businesses, restaurants, schools and other organizations are adopting tobacco-free policies or prohibiting where employees, visitors and others may smoke while on the business's or school's property.

Add one more to that list.

In conjunction with The Great American Smoke Out, an annual event aimed at helping people quit smoking, Westfield Memorial Hospital will become a tobacco-free campus today. According to a press release from the hospital, the new policy will prohibit the use of any type of tobacco product such as cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing tobacco anywhere on the hospital's grounds, and the policy will affect all employees, physicians, visitors, patients, volunteers, vendors and other medical staff.

"As a healthcare provider, we were going to do it for a year, but we had so many changes with the Berger Commission that we didn't want to do it until now," said Tina Newell, a community educator at Westfield Memorial Hospital.

Ms. Newell said hospital employees and others will now be required to leave the hospital's premises if they wish to smoke, adding a few employees have already quit smoking due to the policy taking effect.

To celebrate the implementation of the policy, the hospital will hold a health fair from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the hospital. The fair, Ms. Newell said, is part of the hospital's efforts to promote wellness and healthy habits throughout the year. There will be information available relating to quitting smoking, helping someone quit, eating healthy and blood pressure screening information. The hospital also hopes to hold cooking, stress management techniques and other classes throughout the year.

"What we're trying to do is promote healthy habits," Ms. Newell said, "including walking, doing some stress management techniques and eating properly." However, the smoke-free policy isn't the only step the hospital is taking to promote a smoke-free life. As part of a grant received from Southern Tier health Care Systems, Inc., the hospital will hold smoking cessation classes aimed to helping smokers quit. The class is free, open to the public and will be held until the end of January.

"It's a program that uses nicotine replacement therapy, behavioral changes," Ms. Newell said. "It's an education program. It really works. People are having good success with it."

For more information about the fair or other events happening at the hospital, individuals may call 326-4921. For information and resources about quitting smoking, individuals may call the New York State Smokers Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487).