Memorial Hospital announced this week that beginning January 1, 2008 the hospital will be completely tobacco free. This new policy means that employees will be prohibited from tobacco use during the workday.

Hospital officials say if an employee is caught smoking or there is suspicion that they've been smoking at some point during the workday they will be subject to disciplinary action.

The sixth floor of memorial hospital's parking garage is where employees can currently go to light up, soon that will no longer be the case.

"Can't go to the park, can't go off property, can't smoke during work hours," said Trisha Martinez, an employee at Memorial for the past 15 years.

A new policy effective January 1st prohibits employees from using tobacco during their workday on or off hospital property.

"I think it's taking away my right, I've been smoking for 48 years," said Kendrick Thomas.

Thomas says he'll quit his job before he quits smoking.

"That’s how strongly I feel about it, it's taking my constitutional rights away," Thomas said.

Martinez, an employee at memorial for the past 15 years agrees.

"What’s wrong is them coming out and writing up employees cause you came in smelling like cigarettes, that’s basically telling you what you can and can't do on your own time, that's wrong,” Martinez said.

Memorial spokesperson Chris Valentine says the decision was made with their patient’s health in mind.

"Memorial is trying to enforce a healthy community and healthy employees," he said.

Valentine says this new policy will be strictly enforced.

"The analogy I use is your not allowed to use alcohol on your lunch break and now you can't smoke or use tobacco products," said Valentine.

So for the next three months, these smokers will have to either try to quit or get used to going a full day smoke free.

At least 20 other hospitals in Colorado have adopted a similar policy.