Mental smoking plan

[Gob]

Jesus, I feel sorry for my colleagues on the ward if this bit of stupid health naziism comes into play.

Mental health carers have reiterated fears that a plan to ban smoking in Canberra's secure mental health facility will harm distressed and vulnerable patients admitted during crises.

The government had planned to ban smoking at the Canberra Hospital's adult mental health unit, as part of a broader move to stamp out smoking at all ACT Health campuses.

The ban was reportedly set to come into force from January 1 but the government was yesterday unable to confirm details of the plan, including whether that date was still accurate.

The move was designed to protect health staff, patients and members of the public from second-hand cigarette smoke.
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But the Canberra Mental Health Carers Network has warned that enforcing an outright smoking ban on those with mental illnesses at a time of psychological crisis would exacerbate their conditions, with potentially damaging effects.

Mental health carer Philip Bell wants the proposal thrown out, claiming the government's consultation process has been a joke. He said during a mental health crisis was ''the very worst time'' to be trying to prevent people from smoking.

''When people are taken in for involuntary treatment, they are, by the nature of things, in crisis,'' Mr Bell said. ''Because smoking is so highly addictive, it imposes another crisis on them on top of the current health crisis they are going through.''

Fairfax has also obtained emails from mental health carers across Canberra, which show considerable concern at the smoking ban's potential to increase anxiety, stress and depression among those with mental health issues.

Details of the plan were revealed in June and fears similar to those of mental health carers were raised by Public Advocate Anita Phillips and the Human Rights Commission.

Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said in July that the issue was ''complicated'' and ordered more research into the problem.

There has been a period of consultation since then but it is unclear what, if any, changes have been made to the proposal during that time.

Canberra Action on Smoking and Health, an anti-smoking lobby group, are strong supporters of the smoking ban across ACT Health facilities.

President Alan Shroot said the Canberra Hospital had a ''disgraceful'' record on smoking and there was little consideration for others from smoking staff.

''We're very supportive of having a smoke-free facility - hospitals are places to promote health,'' Dr Shroot said. He said staff at the adult mental health unit should be doing everything they can to get patients to stop smoking cigarettes, including handing out nicotine patches.

''It's not fair to anyone,'' Dr Shroot said. ''Let's imagine there's someone who has got a bad chest, someone who is an asthmatic - is it fair that they're going to be exposed to the thousands of noxious chemicals in sidestream smoke because someone else is having problems?''

He said addictions should not be tolerated at any health site.

''What do you do if they're addicted to heroin or cocaine or marijuana? Some of these things will contribute towards their mental health [problems],'' Dr Shroot said.

''Just to leave it as an open place of addiction because people are addicted is really not acceptable.''

[dales]

But the Canberra Mental Health Carers Network has warned that enforcing an outright smoking ban on those with mental illnesses at a time of psychological crisis would exacerbate their conditions, with potentially damaging effects.

That is correct.

When I was hospitalized (outpatient) we had smoke breaks.

It really is the only humane thing to do.

[rubato]

Wean them off it with heroin.

It's less harmful and less addicting.

yrs,
rubato

[Big RR]

Yrp, that's why we have all those cigarette whores turning tricks for their fix, unable to do anything else. Pretty sad, especially when they start mainlining tar.

[Andrew D]

If heroin, like cigarettes, were legal, we wouldn't have heroin whores either.

[Big RR]

Perhaps, perhaps not. Alcohol is legal, and I've seen some people on the streets basically willing to do pretty much anything for a drink. Are there alcohol whores? I would think so, but I'm not sure.

But the point is not the legality/illegality of the substance, but the harm done by it. Alcohol and heroin appear to affect the brains of (at least) some who become addicted, putting them in a position where they do little but lk where the next fix is coming from; I've never seen that with cigarettes.

[Long Run]

Jesus, I feel sorry for my colleagues on the ward if this bit of stupid health naziism comes into play.

Just patch them up and they'll be okay.

[Gob]

The ACT government will push ahead with plans to enforce a smoke-free environment across its mental health centres in Canberra, despite concerns raised by mental health carers.

The Canberra Hospital's various mental health units and the Brian Hennessy Rehabilitation Centre at Calvary Hospital will become smoking-free from January 1.

The plan drew criticism from the Mental Health Carers Network, which said taking away cigarettes from mental health sufferers could exacerbate their conditions at times of crisis.

But ACT Health's executive director of Mental Health, Justice Health, and Alcohol and Drug Services, Katrina Bracher, said there was no evidence to support those claims. ''The evidence actually shows us that doesn't happen, providing we put in place lots and lots of supportive measures,'' Ms Bracher said.


Those supportive measures include providing tobacco reduction support after patients are discharged, training health staff in identifying and treating withdrawal, and supporting patients to use other means for relaxation or anxiety management.

Ms Bracher said the damage caused to mental health sufferers by smoking was significantly worse than across the general population.

''A huge proportion of people with mental illness smoke, their life expectancy is 20 years shorter … people [who suffer from] mental illness more often die of smoking-related illnesses, rather than their mental illness,'' she said. ''This is a really serious health issue.''

Ms Bracher acknowledged the smoking-free environment would not be an easy thing to achieve, but said there were many successful examples operating across Australia and the world.

She said health staff were supportive of the plan, and said there had been ''quite a journey'' to address concerns raised by staff.

Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said the policy would be reviewed after six months, and there would be opportunities for checking feedback.

''This is an important step forward that balances our responsibilities to the health of our patients with providing a safe workplace for staff who deliver critical services 24 hours a day, seven days a week,'' she said.

Ms Bracher said the plan had the support of the Australian Medical Association, the Cancer Council, and the Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug Association.

She obviously hasn't read this.

[Lord Jim]

Yes, just what every mentally ill person experiencing a psychological crisis needs....

A nicotine fit....

Seems to me who ever came up with this policy ought join them in the ward...

[oldr_n_wsr]

Being both addict (addicted to alcohol) a cigarette smoker and being in rehab for 6 weeks I know what these patients are going to go through.
During my stay in rehab, smoking was not allowed however they did supply the patch and nicotine gum and lozenges. Got me through not smoking for six weeks (of course the second I was released I had a cigarette). I did see a few "inmates" sneaking around smoking cigarettes. I even found two packs hidden in the garden when I was raking it out (keep busy work). It's a tough call, but NY state made it and any rehab fully supported by money from the state is not allowed to have smoking. From what I heard, the private ones that only get "some" money from the state are also supposed to be smoke free but do "look the other way" and pay the fine when caught.

There are conflicting arguments to the quit everything vs one addiction at a time, and I can see both side of the issue. I quit alcohol and cigarettes for 6 weeks but while I was committed to staying dry, I always knew I would return to smoking. Maybe that got me through, maybe it got me to smoke again when I got out.

Who knows.

[Andrew D]

Perhaps, perhaps not. Alcohol is legal, and I've seen some people on the streets basically willing to do pretty much anything for a drink. Are there alcohol whores? I would think so, but I'm not sure.

But the point is not the legality/illegality of the substance, but the harm done by it. Alcohol and heroin appear to affect the brains of (at least) some who become addicted, putting them in a position where they do little but lk where the next fix is coming from; I've never seen that with cigarettes.

There is still a substantial availability difference between alcohol and cigarettes. To obtain a cigarette, an indigent nicotine addict need only wait for a smoking person to walk by. Many (most?) smokers will give a cigarette to an apparently indigent person who asks for one. But very few people are carrying alcoholic beverages around with them, especially not in a bundle of individual doses.

If I happened to be walking down the street carrying twenty airplane-sized bottles of booze, I would very likely give one to someone who asked. But that set of circumstances is far less likely than is a smoker's carrying a pack of cigarettes.