Hospital Goes Smoke Free

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Posted: 8:45 PM Aug 29, 2008
Last Updated: 9:31 PM Aug 29, 2008
Reporter: Dave Jordan

8 comments

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Patients and employees will soon put away the lighter, the cigarettes and the ashtray at one local hospital.

Onslow Memorial Hospital goes tobacco free September first. Hospital spokesman Tim Strickland says this means hospital employees and patients cannot smoke anywhere on the hospital grounds. He says employees will be documented if they are caught smoking on campus, and patients will be offered a coupon for nicorette to help them possibly quit smoking in the future.

The hospital is also offering classes for patients, employees and anyone in the community who would like to learn tips to kick the habit.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Obama 08 4 Prez! on Aug 30, 2008 at 09:01 PM
GOOD! I hate smelling a person's breath that has been smoking, its in their clothes, hair, and their breath smells like s#!t. Even when they were smoking outside and you had to walk through it, I didn't like it. Just because you want to kill yourself and damage your lungs doesn't mean I do. I don't have a filter, and I didn't have a choice if I had to go to a particular hospital. Its good for them, so walk it off and act like big girls and boys. Your lungs thank you!

Posted by: me Location: here on Aug 30, 2008 at 06:57 PM
Wow I would hate to have a catheter put in by a nurse who couldn't get away to smoke on her break.

Posted by: NURSE Location: BOSTON MEDICAL on Aug 30, 2008 at 10:42 AM
After reading this artical. I was in shock that you could ever smoke in a NC Hospital. Lets get with the times those Hospital No Smoking laws were past over 10 years ago up North. Why? to help keep our patients alive. What about your Patient Care? I hope nobody smoked in the Operating room? Smoking in a Hospital thats just insane. At least the Administrators at OMH have some brains.

Posted by: Smoke Free in NC Location: HGS on Aug 30, 2008 at 08:01 AM
I quit smoking in 1988 ... but this kind of thing makes me want to buy a pack of Camel regulars and light up!

Posted by: Rusty Location: Washington on Aug 30, 2008 at 07:23 AM
Next, no eating areas for fat people. Big brother is watching you....we know whats best for you. VBush, you are right. NC is the nanny state. I love watching a smoker light up outside the airport and being yelled at. Give it a break. The guy just flew in from England to be treated like a criminal. RDU is the nanny airport. Obesity is also preventable. Drinking is preventable....what next NC?

Posted by: Sandra Location: Barnes on Aug 30, 2008 at 06:30 AM
Well, they can mandate all they want to and end up like Pitt Memorial, where you ride down Stantonsburg Road and see many of the patients standing at the road with their IV poles and sitting in wheelchairs, etc. That's a REAL caring site to see and furthermore, the nurses are out there, too, puffing away. Now, that's a professional look! Sure looked alot better when they had smoking areas! My opinion. Everybody's got one.

Posted by: Pete Location: Trenton on Aug 30, 2008 at 12:53 AM
Smoking is still the number one cause of preventable death in the country. Why would any hospital not discourage smoking. Besides that, it's their right to do so since it's their property.

Posted by: VBush Location: MHCY on Aug 29, 2008 at 10:36 PM
Another example of the 'nanny state'. You shouldn't be smoking so 'we will mandate that you can't'.

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