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18
September 2003
Press
Statement
Smoking Ban
The Irish
College of Psychiatrists as a group of medical doctors, is essentially
in agreement with the Minister for Health and Children on his
plan to introduce a smokefree workplace. The risks presented by
smoking and environmental tobacco smoke are well established.
For many long
stay psychiatric patients, regrettably, the hospital is their
present day home and this must be given some consideration.
As an interim
measure we request a number of considerations:
- That
psychiatric patients who smoke are offered comprehensive intervention
to assist them to quit smoking.
- That
patients who are unable to quit be allowed to smoke in an area
or areas where the health risks to other patients and employees
will be minimised.
We have requested
to discuss these issues with the Department of Health and Children.
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