Westin Hotels & Resorts has teamed with celebrity jewelry designer Mauri Pioppo to create a talisman necklace in support of smoke-free living. The Renewal Talisman will raise awareness of the benefits of going smoke-free, especially for women and girls, and provide a tangible way for women to share their support for a smoke-free lifestyle with their loved ones. Westin created the piece to celebrate its own commitment to breathing free, made in December 2005 when it announced it would become the first major hotel chain in North America to go smoke-free.

While women are embracing healthy trends in increasing numbers, dependence on cigarettes remains a dirty little secret for an alarming number of women and girls. The American Legacy Foundation works to raise awareness about the urgency of the crisis:
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As with its pioneering smoke-free decision, Westin's motivation for creating the Renewal Talisman is to make the health of its associates and guests its top priority...

"We salute Westin's efforts to empower both men and women to support each others' choices for a smoke-free lifestyle," said Cheryl Healton, Dr. P.H., President and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation. "The Renewal Talisman is a powerful emblem of the benefits of going smoke-free."

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What the hell? Westin had so few smokers checking in they decided to go entirely smoke-free. But with all this breathe free crap you'd think every other person staying at a Westin Hotel either smokes or just quit. You're preaching to the %$#@ choir, Westin. None of you loony toons smoke. "Come join our loony cult." That should be Westin's motto.

Oh, and it should be ALF's motto too.

Seems to elevate the anti smoking campaign to a form of religion to me. Let the gods of fresh air protect me from smokers.

It would be wonderful if it turns against the other forms of air pollution and reduce our civilization to entirely clean air. But to do that we will all be nude in a forest shivering in the cold.