LAKEPORT, Calif. – The leading cause of preventable deaths presents itself to consumers rolled in paper and tucked into a carton the size of a deck of cards.

Cigarettes kill nearly half a million people a year, with 41,000 of those deaths caused by secondhand smoke, according to the Center for Disease Control.

In 2011 and 2012 alone, 58 million people breathed secondhand smoke, with the highest exposure among children ages 3 to 11.

Smoking costs more than $300 billion in lost productivity and direct health care costs a year and increases the risk for nearly every kind of cancer.

The American Cancer Society sponsors the annual Great American Smoke Out, a national initiative that encourages smokers to quit tobacco use and seek the support of available resources to stay committed to a tobacco-free lifestyle.

Sutter Lakeside Hospital is proud to celebrate its commitment to a smoke-free healing environment by emphasizing its tobacco-free policies on Nov. 19, the day of the Smoke Out.

The hospital will also host a free class supported by the Department of Public Health on cessation techniques and support.

“Sutter Lakeside Hospital is committed to our mission of enhancing the well-being of the patients we serve. This includes providing a smoke-free campus to further healing and well being,” said Siri Nelson, chief administrative officer of Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “The first national Smoke Out was held in San Francisco over thirty five years ago, and we’re proud to continue the tradition of connecting smokers with the support they need to sustain a healthy life.”

In Lake County, 20 [percent of women and 25 percent of men smoke, according to the Institute for Health Metrics & Evaluation. The county rate for both lung cancer and death due to lung cancer is almost double California’s average.

Smoking harms almost every organ in the body, increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, and accounts for 90 percent of all lung cancer mortalities and 80% of all chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) deaths.

“The hospital’s no smoking policy goes beyond state law,” said Nelson. “We strive to improve the quality of life for Lake County residents. We’re proud to partner with the Department of Public Health to provide resources to those who want to live a healthier life.”

For more information about Sutter Lakeside Hospital, visit www.sutterlakeside.org or call 707-262-5085 to schedule a tour.