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  1. #1
    Moderator Arthur Little's Avatar
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    Question Is It Unfair To Ban Smoking In Mental Hospitals?

    YES ... IMO, it IS! Hospital patients with psychiatric disorders - arguably the cruellest form of illness known to humankind - already have far more than their share of suffering to contend with, without being forced to undergo the added [unnecessary] torture of being deprived of what has, in the past, invariably been the only source of comfort available to them.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-ouch-33440478 ...

    Until recent times ... patients wishing to indulge their habit could, at least, seek refuge by sitting on an outside bench in (I believe in most cases) reasonably quiet and pleasant grounds; however this is no longer an option, sadly.

    Yet, there's a simple remedy, ... one that will keep everyone who is unfortunate enough to cross the threshold of - or [more particularly] be confined to - such an environment as "happy" as anyone's ever likely to be in those circumstances ... ... why not bring back the former smoking rooms??


  2. #2
    Respected Member les_taxi's Avatar
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    If it doesn't affect non smokers why not who has the right to tell people they cannot smoke.


  3. #3
    Trusted Member stevewool's Avatar
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    The problem about banning smoking from many places is the smokers just move to another place, its banned from pubs, so everyone stands outside and the none smokers still have to walk past these folk, just like hospitals, they walk outside and if its raining they just stand in the door way,
    I have never smoked in my life, did it stop me going into pubs, cinemas , the upstairs on the buses, not at all it was my choice, to go there or not,
    I must admit its better to site somewhere not smelling of smoke these days but you do seem to notice the smoke more these days when walking near someone who is smoking


  4. #4
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    The care home where my wife worked actually had a smoking room.

    Residents were allowed to sit in the area and smoke a few ciggies.
    The regulations stated they were not allowed to be alone at any time. Some were in wheelchairs and needed to find a carer to take them and stay with them.

    Question: should carers have the right to refuse to enter or stay in the smoking room ?

    Maybe the same scenario in mental hospitals ? I don't know but seems logical.

    I guess if folks want to smoke outside in designated areas and can find someone to watch over them it should be OK IMO


  5. #5
    Moderator fred's Avatar
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    Personal freedoms be damned...Life in the UK these days so it seems.
    Sounds more like Germany in 1939.


  6. #6
    Trusted Member stevewool's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fred View Post
    Personal freedoms be damned...Life in the UK these days so it seems.
    Sounds more like Germany in 1939.
    indeed, but for now its home ,


  7. #7
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    I would wager that almost as many members of staff smoke too, so finding people to supervise what is a perfectly legal pastime in this country...albeit with certain restrictions, shouldn't be a problem ?

    Personally I am much more concerned about the thousands of commercial vehicles such as buses and trains that are left for lengthy periods with engines running, pumping out pollutants equivalent to a few million cigarettes and wasting fuel. Turn the damned things off !


  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by grahamw48 View Post
    I would wager that almost as many members of staff smoke too, so finding people to supervise what is a perfectly legal pastime in this country...albeit with certain restrictions, shouldn't be a problem ?
    You'd lose that wager Graham.


  9. #9
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    My brother was detained in a mental institution in UK. He is a non-smoker and smoking was banned. The guy in the next bed used to smoke and fall asleep whilst doing so. My brother complained about the smoking and the fire danger. My brother was discharged as being unreasonable !


  10. #10
    Respected Member les_taxi's Avatar
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    John that's fair enough, but at least let them have smoking areas poor sods don't have much else.


  11. #11
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    Designated areas...of course.


  12. #12
    Trusted Member mickcant's Avatar
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    When I was married to my 1st wife in the 1970s, my elderly father who smoked a pipe was the only person who was allowed to smoke indoors.

    I am an avid anti smoker but do not think it should be imposed on the elderly or as in them case mentally ill, it adds more stress to what is a difficult time, if they get comfort from it let them carry on.
    Mick.


  13. #13
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    More than a year since I smoked a cig...or even an e-cig.


  14. #14
    Respected Member Michael Parnham's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grahamw48 View Post
    I would wager that almost as many members of staff smoke too, so finding people to supervise what is a perfectly legal pastime in this country...albeit with certain restrictions, shouldn't be a problem ?

    Personally I am much more concerned about the thousands of commercial vehicles such as buses and trains that are left for lengthy periods with engines running, pumping out pollutants equivalent to a few million cigarettes and wasting fuel. Turn the damned things off !
    All modern vehicles switch off when stationary and start when you depress the clutch these days Graham


  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Parnham View Post
    All modern vehicles switch off when stationary and start when you depress the clutch these days Graham
    All modern cars ?

    My Seat Ibiza automatic, reg Jan 2014 does not.


  16. #16
    Respected Member les_taxi's Avatar
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    Wait til they have to pay for new starter motors


  17. #17
    Respected Member Iani's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grahamw48 View Post
    Personally I am much more concerned about the thousands of commercial vehicles such as buses and trains that are left for lengthy periods with engines running, pumping out pollutants equivalent to a few million cigarettes and wasting fuel. Turn the damned things off !
    Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh you can't say buses and trains, you have to say cars and lorries. The green lobby won't tolerate anyone suggesting public transport is the source of any pollution, no it's the bad nasty motorists who are to blame - you know, those ones who get upset when stuck behind on a hill with no chance of overtaking some mobile smoke wagon called a bus belching out clouds of diesel


  18. #18
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    ...and then there's another angle...

    .


  19. #19
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    It would be difficult to reverse the ban on smoking which already exists in NHS mental health hospitals, other hospitals and public places here in the UK ; or indeed healthcare institutions and other public places in the Philippines, and elsewhere in the world – although some countries such as Indonesia hardly have any regulations.


    " Freedom of choice " - to smoke, eat or drink alcohol to excess, and other " lifestyle choices " do come with costs - to individuals risking ill health and with economic consequences. The UK can ill afford these costs - even when paid for by taxation ; when individuals have to pay up front for most treatment, as in the Philippines, no wonder conditions go untreated until they’re advanced ( or not at all ).


    Banning smoking would be ineffective, it would just fuel illegal sales. Similarly, it would be impossible to ban alcohol, unhealthy foods, or use of private cars ( air pollution due to all causes may indeed result in more premature deaths worldwide than smoking ).


    Discouraging unhealthy activities is a different matter – it’s enlightened self-interest to do so for those of us to try to live healthy lives, and resent funding treatment of those who choose not to. Smoking, of course, does pollute the air that others breathe, and the addictive nature of the habit weakens the argument that it’s a freely chosen pleasure.


    Health care workers don’t all live healthy lives, and some DO smoke. Fewer doctors smoke in the UK compared to the average ( but this is not the case elsewhere in the world, such as male doctors in China ). Nurses also smoke, in numbers closer to the average population – mental health nurses are said to have a relatively high frequency of smoking.


    " Is it unfair to ban smoking in mental health hospitals ? " , or in the grounds as well ? Should smoking be banned in hospitals treating lung cancer patients ; or indeed for any patients already suffering illness contributed to by smoking ? As the " blog " says, there’s a big difference between encouragement and enforcement ! Quitting smoking will not cure someone who already has lung cancer, but the benefits outweigh the disadvantages for those with mental illnesses.


    Smoking is around twice as common in people with mental disorders ( a quarter of Britons will have some form of mental illness in a given year ). The association is very strong – up to half of those with anxiety and depression, and nearly three quarters with schizophrenia. The evidence points to symptoms of mental illness, thought to be relieved by smoking, actually worsening over time. Indeed, as smoking is associated with increased risk of severe mental illness, at an earlier age, it’s now thought that there may be a causal link between smoking and such " psychotic " illness. Discouragement of smoking, rather than outright banning attempts, is the way forward – most patients would welcome it, but the support is so far inadequate.



    http://www.thelancet.com/journals/la...lltext?rss=yes


    http://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journa...15)00152-2.pdf


  20. #20
    Respected Member Iani's Avatar
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    Can you imagine if smoking was invented today? Would it be immediately banned, or would we allow it?


  21. #21
    Respected Member Tawi2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Iani View Post
    Can you imagine if smoking was invented today? Would it be immediately banned, or would we allow it?
    It would be completely banned,as would alcohol once the effects were known.



    Sometimes you're flush and sometimes you're bust, and when you're up, it's never as good as it seems, and when you're down, you never think you'll be up again. But life goes on.
    The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It's the passion that she shows to the outside world.


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