Recently the hospital I work for announced that it will become a completely smoke-free campus as of September 1st. The interior of the hospital was already smoke-free for obvious reasons, but the beautiful interior courtyard, and multiple land-scaped bench areas outside of the entrance doors are frequented by smokers.
As one might imagine, this decision has sparked quite the debate! Employees who are currently smokers will have no choice but to quit, at least on work days. It is against policy to "clock out" and leave campus at any point in your shift and then return, except in the case of "special circumstances" to be approved by management. And now, because of the size of my hospital, there will no longer be an available smoking area within a city block. Many are talking of leaving their positions over it. Sadly they will find that most, if not all, of the other hospitals in the area have already converted to a smoke-free facility. The reality is that most will now have to face their addiction in the next 30 days. Realizing that smoking is reflective of nicotine addiction, the employee health and wellness staff are putting 110% into a program that provides the resources needed to help those who choose to quit in response to the new policy.
I don't nor have I ever smoked. I say this to point out that I am unlikey to be inclined to defend a position on the "rights of smokers". Being affected by second-hand smoke is one of my top "pet peeves". Each morning on my way into the hospital from the parking garage, I have no choice but to walk through a plume of smoke provided for me by patients and guests who are out enjoying the early morning air and kindly polluting it for the rest of us. As just about anyone knows, it takes just seconds for that plume to penetrate your hair and clothes. This allows me the priviledge of sharing the aroma with whoever the lucky patient is that is scheduled for the first surgery of the day. Hungry, nervous, and sometimes nauseated, they appreciate the aroma of smoke even less than I do.
While this may sound harsh, even judgemental, I pose this question: Does anyone, other than yourself, have the right to affect your health negatively? What if everytime you walked into work, someone forced you to eat a twinkie or take a shot of tequila, or threw a little bit of sewage on your clothes? How long do you think it would take for this to cause a public uproar? Yet, smoking is just as big of a health hazard to the people in breathing range as the actual puffer, and it is still a violation of their "rights" for the rest of us to put a stop to it.
I'm grateful that my hospital is joining the ranks of those who will make a stand for health's sake, and I think TWU should do the same!
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It is ironic to be working with trained health professionals who choose to smoke even though they understand the negative consequences such as emphysema, lung cancer, and their breath smelling like an ashtray. At my old job, I was surrounded with smokers who puffed right outside the front door. Whenever we go on break, new co-workers would ask if I smoked and I say no. Then they reply “its best not to start”, “it’s a bad habit”, “don’t start I wish I didn’t”. I have never smoke nor do I ever choose to start.
ReplyDeleteAmanda,
ReplyDeleteIt's about time that hospitals finally embraced smoke-free. How ironic is it that airports and restaurants (even casinos and bars) would enact policies before health care settings?!
Please let your voice be heard on our campus, too! Write a letter to our TWU campus health educator to present to our Chancellor and other administration or one for the TWU newspaper, the Lasso! Think about creating a petition or coalition that others (such as individuals in this course) could sign and present to the President of Student Life or campus health educator. Even though most of you are "virtual students," you can still make a huge impact on our campuses, spread across 4 cities! It is the students who will make the biggest difference about this issue on our campus!
Dr. E