State hospital outlaws smokes
Toolbox
By DANIEL BARLOW Vermont Press Bureau - Published: April 22, 2010
MONTPELIER – Tobacco has historically been a crutch for many people with mental illness, but next month the Vermont State Hospital will ban the use of cigarettes for patients and staff.
Starting May 5, tobacco products will no longer be allowed on the premises of the state hospital, the state-run facility that is home to about 50 patients with mental health and substance abuse problems.
It was not an easy decision to come to, according to Dr. Jaskanwar Batra, a psychiatrist at the hospital. Many patients rely on cigarettes as a coping mechanism or to self-medicate. The push to make this move comes right from the medical evidence on the dangerous effects of long-term tobacco use.
"Patients who suffer from schizophrenia have a 20 percent shorter life expectancy than other people," Batra said. "For many patients, especially those over 65 years old, smoking is the major contributing factor in their declining health."
Patients and staff at the state hospital can't smoke inside the building, but there are several porches were they are allowed to take smoke breaks. Other patients, under supervision, are allowed to smoke outside the facility during brief breaks.
Batra said the state has tried to prepare staff and patients for the change, including making available nicotine patches, gum and counseling to help them cope with the cravings of the addiction and, he hopes, kick the habit for good.
"We know that for many people smoking time is when they socialize," Batra said. "So, we plan to replace that experience with visits outdoors or healthy snacks … experiences that still allow them to socialize."
A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released this year found that people aged 20 and older who are depressed are more than two times likely to be cigarette smokers. People who are depressed are far more likely to smoke – and smoke more often, the study found.
Patients dealing with a substance abuse problem have an especially difficult time quitting smoking, according to a study released this month by the American Society of Addiction Medicine. The survey found that patients may need up to 26 weeks of smoking cessation programs and meetings to successfully give up the habit.
Tina Zuk, the coordinator for the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Vermont, said the state hospital's decision is a win-win for patients and staff. She said if any of them needs assistance to quit smoking, they should contact the Vermont Quit Network, which can supply aids to assist them. (The phone number for the network is 1-800-QUIT-NOW and their Web site is www.vtquitnetwork.org.)
"We will work with them to find the best route for them to quit smoking," Zuk said. "We can supply everything from patches to gum to lozenges. We applaud the state for making this decision."
Nicole Lukas, the director of advocacy for the Vermont chapter of the American Heart Association, said the Waterbury facility was one of the last hold-outs in the state to ban the practice of tobacco smoking.
All the other hospitals in Vermont banned the use of tobacco on their premises over the last several years.
"We've come a long way in reducing the number of smokers, but the rates for low-income residents and people with mental illnesses are still well above the norm," Lukas said. "We congratulate the state hospital for making this decision."
daniel.barlow@rutland herald.com
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