Smokers rights? Mental!

[Gob]

The ACT government could be heading for another Human Rights Act clash as it prepares to ban smoking in Canberra's mental health treatment centres.

The Public Advocate is urging health authorities to show ''flexibility'' as it moves to ban smoking in health facilities where patients can be confined for years at a time.

The Health Directorate has ruled the Adult Mental Health Unit, the Mental Health Assessment Unit, the Withdrawal Unit at Canberra Hospital and the Brian Hennessy Rehabilitation Centre at Calvary will all be smoke free from next January 1.
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But smoking rates among mental health patients are up to 90 per cent in some groups and cigarettes have been tolerated in treatment centres, despite an official Health Directorate smoke-free policy being in force since 2008.

A report from the Human Rights Commission, published in 2009, urged caution, warning that a full ban on smoking ''may amount to an undue limitation on the freedoms of consumers who are detained and add to their overall anxiety levels when they have been admitted for acute psychiatric care''.

''It was also raised with the review team that voluntary patients may be reluctant to admit themselves for treatment if they know that they will be unable to smoke.

''An appropriate balance needs to be struck between the impact on consumers who smoke and the rights of non-smokers and staff to fresh air and a safe and healthy work environment.''

Public Advocate Anita Phillips told The Canberra Times that she was worried about patients who were dependant on cigarettes and whose illnesses meant they had to be confined, sometimes for years.

''I think we need to look for an alternative for people who are in a facility that is, in effect, their home or their long-term facility,'' Ms Phillips said. ''I think that we do need to look at alternatives''.

''I understand that in an acute medical facility there is a health issue and a health risk and a no-smoking policy is highly appropriate.

''But I would urge ACT Health to be flexible in the application of that policy in facilities that are for long-term residents.''

The Health Directorate's executive director of mental health Tina Bracher said it was in everyone's interest, including that of mental health patients, that the smoking ban be enforced.

''The Health Directorate has had a smoke-free campus since 2008, and there were designated smoking areas on the campus, one for staff and one for patients,'' Ms Bracher said. ''The mental health and alcohol and drug withdrawal units have always been set aside of that and this work is around bringing those areas in line with the policy that was implemented in 2008.''

Ms Bracher said mental health patients would benefit from the changes, arguing the ''co-morbidity of lung disease is amazingly high''.

''Staff and other patients are being continually exposed to passive smoke,'' Ms Bracher said.

''There's very strong clinical evidence that nicotine interferes with neurotransmitters in the brain and impacts on the efficacy of the psychotropic medications that we give to the patients.''

''We've had some discussion with the Health Services Commissioner around the issue of human rights and I've sought legal advice from the Government Solicitor's Office and we've consulted broadly with consumers and carers.''

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/nationa ... 2137w.html

As someone who regularly visits these places, maybe twice a week, I know how stinkingly unpleasant they can be. As an ex-smoker (7 years free,) I know how addictive and hard to quit it is. I also know that being back in that heavy smoke environment can make me feel like lighting up again. I could not work full time there.

[Long Run]

Go in there and patch things up, will ya.

[Gob]

Interestingly, one of the main "quit smoking" drugs now freely prescribed is "Champix" which is an anti-depressant.

[Crackpot]

You know I have no desire to light up amy more. Not even after getting a rental that smelled like an ashtray.

THe question I have for you is Why do you want to light up again?

[Gob]

The nicotine craving is still there, even after all this time. I think the smoke in the environments I was talking about is more "live" with nicotine than in passive ash residue.

Don't worry, I would never indulge, even though I know I could still quit whenever I wanted to, I'm not going to smoke again.

[Crackpot]

I was hanging out in bars the week after I quit. still so (though now they're smoke free) Casinos aren't (but I only hit them once or twice a year).

Don't worry, I would never indulge, even though I know I could still quit whenever I wanted to, I'm not going to smoke again.

Spoken like a true addict.

[Gob]

Recognising you are an addict is the best way to deal with it.

[Crackpot]

Yes... But saying that you can quit whenever you want is an act of denial. Even with champix/chantix quitting is never that easy or is it easy to delineate "want" from addiction

[rubato]

I have to say I'm sympathetic about mental health patients wanting to smoke. They are already in a phenomenally challenging mental/biochemical environment as it is w/o forcing cigarette withdrawal on them; which can last for months. The antipsychotic drugs which actually work have worse side effects than smoking does anyway (Tardive diskinesia, morbid obesity, &c). Smoking might actually be good for them.

People who are completely miserable deserve compassion; terminal cancer patients should get heroin (or Brompton's cocktail which includes cocaine), serious mental patients should be allowed to smoke. Neither group can hope for a 'cure'.

yrs,
rubato

[Sean]

So what's wrong with having an outdoor smoking area? Even the pubs have them...

[BoSoxGal]

The Montana State Hospital at Warm Springs is a smoke-free (beautiful) campus, and has been so for several years. No outdoor smoking accommodations exist for either patients or staff.

They are always well in excess of capacity re: admissions, so clearly it's not keeping the nutters away. If they're so very anxious, they can always take up nail biting.

[Gob]

Yes... But saying that you can quit whenever you want is an act of denial.

Not really, whenever I have taken up smoking it has been a concious choice, when ever I have wanted to quit smoking I have done so.

Even with champix/chantix quitting is never that easy or is it easy to delineate "want" from addiction

I have never used champix or any other aid, I have always quit cold turkey.

[dales]

I was an out-patient in a mental hospital (major depression disorder) and it was "NO SMOKING"...I had to go outside to the parking lot and light up a fag.

The p-docs finally figured out what drugs worked best and released me after a few weeks.

I asked for 100 mmg of "Delysid" but was met with a cold rebuff.

btw: the 5150 ward was groovy, music and art therapy, and pretty young nurses!

[Joe Guy]

I was an out-patient in a mental hospital (major depression disorder) and it was "NO SMOKING"...I had to go outside to the parking lot and light up a fag.

Is that when you started calling yourself "Mental Floss"?

[dales]

[Joe Guy]

I always thought that you became 'Mental Floss' over at Cartalk once in a while. He claimed to be posting from an asylum and he reminded me of you.

I guess I was wrong?

[dales]

omar?

[Joe Guy]

Probably