Quit Smoking for life 13 January , 2011

MOST New Year’s resolutions are broken by February each year. This year the Lithgow Community Health Service is committed to keeping people who have decided to quit smoking on the right path.

The high percentage of smokers in the local government area has prompted the service, in partnership with Lithgow Community Projects, to help smokers kick the habit with a new program.

“Now is a great time for Lithgow residents to take advantage of a few quit smoking services to usher in a smoke free New Year,” Sydney West Area Health Service Drug and Alcohol counsellor Kim Lewis said. Lithgow residents who want to quit smoking can access the free Lithgow Quit Smoking Service at the Lithgow Community Health Centre. “The service offers one-on-one counselling and nicotine replacement products like patches, gum or lozenges free of charge to help you achieve your smoke free goal,” Ms Lewis said. In Lithgow around 29 per cent of people smoke, a much higher rate than the state average of 17 per cent.

The quit smoking service has been organised specifically to treat Lithgow residents. For more information call the free Lithgow Quit Smoking service between 8 am and noon Monday to Friday on 6350 2763. The service is by appointment only and clinics are run from Lithgow Community Health Centre and Youth Worx.

Non-smoking Hotels have been a breath of fresh air - Metro Hotels

Five years on and the decision to adopt a 100% Non-smoking policy in all of its 14 hotels, motels, resorts and serviced apartments around Australia has proven to be an extremely positve move by Metro Hotels.

The initial move to adopt the smoke free policy came about in 2006 following increased demand for non-smoking rooms from corporate and government clients. 

"At the time we envisaged the change would be well received by our clients as the decision to become non-smoking basically came from them," explained Metro Hotels Chief Operating Officer, George Bedwani. "And the initial decision has proven to be a very good one", he said.
  
Metro Hotels has experienced no negative impact on their business. "To the contrary, we have received numerous positive comments from our guests and we have even secured new business from specific organisations in the health industry because we guarantee all rooms are non-smoking." noted Mr Bedwani.
 
There is still no official regulations requiring a total smoke-free environment in Hotels, Motels and other short term accommodation properties however Metro Hotels has made it an official requirement for all of their properties.

View original Article at Metro Hotels News

Metro breathes fresh air into Sydney Hotel - 15 May, 2006

The 4 star Metro Hotel on Pitt, Sydney is set to make a fresh start to the new financial year by becoming a 100% smoke-free hotel.
"The move has come about following increased demand for non-smoking rooms from our corporate and government clients," said Metro Hotels Group General Manager, Rajeev Dani of the 115 room hotel.
"We envisage the change will be well received by our clients as the decision to become non-smoking has predominantly come from them," he explained.
 
This is not the first Metro Hotels property that is totally non-smoking. In 2005, the Metro Apartments on Sussex, also located in Sydney's CBD and overlooking Darling Harbour, changed to a smoke-free property with no negative effect on occupancy, average or yield.
 
"There have been numerous studies undertaken by hotels which clearly show that the preference for the majority of guests is for a smoke-free hotel," Mr Dani said.
"The feedback we have received from our clients and our positive experience at Metro Apartments on Sussex certainly reinforces this."

Read Full Article at Metro Hotels News