The tobacco-free policy will cover the entire mall properties, both inside and outside, including all entry points, hallways, sidewalks, loading dock areas, parking lots and construction areas. It applies to all mall associates, tenant employees, vendors, delivery people, contractors, subcontractors and guests.
The owner of the malls, Pyramid, has been working with regional tobacco control partnerships funded by the NYS Tobacco Control Program and the American Cancer Society on implementation of the new policy.
The tobacco-free policy includes any and all tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco) and any other similar substances or instruments that are lit or burning such as electronic cigarettes.
The new policy includes Palisades Center and other New York State malls:
Aviation Mall - Queensbury
Carousel Center - Syracuse (became smoke-free in 2007, will be tobacco-free)
Champlain Centre - Plattsburgh
Crossgates Mall - Albany
Galleria at Crystal Run - Middletown
Poughkeepsie Galleria - Poughkeepsie
Salmon Run Mall - Watertown
Sangertown Square - New Hartford
The Shops at Ithaca Mall - Ithaca
Walden Galleria - Buffalo
The policy also applies to four malls in Massachusetts:
Berkshire Mall - Lanesborough
Independence Mall - Kingston
Hampshire Mall - Hadley
Holyoke Mall at Ingleside - Holyoke
Pyramid said it will be providing opportunities for mall employees to obtain smoking cessation information and counseling. Signage provided by the local tobacco control coalitions will be posted around mall property to alert employees and shoppers about the new policy.
The first mall in the Pyramid family to go smoke-free was the Carousel Center in Syracuse in 2007. Successful implementation at that facility led to the corporate-wide expansion of the policy. With implementation of the new policy, Carousel Center will become tobacco-free.
For more information about the new policy, go to pyramidmg.com.
For information on how to quit smoking, call the New York State Smokers' Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487)
For cancer information anytime, call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or log onto cancer.org.
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