Clearing the Air

Debating smoke-free policies in psychiatric units

Karen Jochelson, Bill Majrowski
July 2006 | ISBN 978 1 85717 550 9 | 28 pages | £6.50

Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke lead to poor physical health, yet there are concerns that extending the proposed ban on indoor smoking to psychiatric units would infringe patient rights and could provoke aggressive reactions from patients. This paper explores the arguments for and against such a ban, examining the international literature on the prevalence and impact of smoking in psychiatric units and looking at the impact of smoking bans in these settings. It also presents the findings of a survey of staff in UK psychiatric units about their views on a smoking ban and the feasibility of implementing it.