Non-smoker protection and helping smokers to stop smoking are key issues in companies’ health promotion efforts. As a result of taking part in the BASF non-smoking campaign “Smoke-Free 2003”, 30 % of participants were still non-smokers one year after the end of the campaign. Without any further intervention, the proportion of nonsmokers among the former participants rose to 40 % within three years. Those participants who continued smoking were at least able to reduce their average daily consumption of cigarettes significantly. The campaign had not only good effects on the health of the individual employees but also resulted in an increase of productivity in the company estimated to have a value of several million Euros. Thus occupational medicine has again made a lasting contribution towardsthe maintenance of a healthy and productive workforce.
