to be really annoyed with the smokers outside the hospital?

[bumbleymummy]

There are no smoking signs everywhere and there is an allocated smoking area right opposite the entrance to the hospital but there were about 10 people all smoking right outside the hospital doors. Everyone has to walk past them inhaling their smoke. WIBU to say something to them? Point them in the direction of the smoking area? I have a feeling I'd be old to f-off but why should they be allowed to stand there unchallenged?

[JassyRadlett]

Back, are you saying you think people should be allowed to smoke inside hospitals? Interesting stance.

There is an awful lot of hypocrisy here. Smokers are probably going through a stressful time and should be cut some slack, non-smokers are precious wimps with ingrown toenails who wish to shoot smokers. How predictable.

If people want to smoke, that's fine by me. Like with all individual behavious it's always nice if people behave like they're members of a larger community and showing consideration for others by minimising the impact of our own activities on others makes that community a nicer place for everyone to live.

And on that note - why don't so many smokers put their fag ends in the bin? I know smokers who do but they are mocked by other smokers for carrying their fag end for a bit, which is depressing.

[bumbleymummy]

I'm not begrudging them their cigarette. I just want them to smoke in the designated area.

[Hoppinggreen]

I agree - if they really have smoke it would be great if they move about 50 yards away from the entrance to the smoking area no one has to walk past to get in rather than stand right in the entrance under the son asking them NOT to do it.
They have a choice where to smoke but I don't have a choice where to enter the hospital - selfish arseholes

[Tigerbike]

The Royal Marsden is one of the very few public buildings with a smoking room inside.

[AwaywiththePixies27]

My Ex works in a hospital and is a smoker. He has to walk OFF the Hospital grounds with his colleagues as he faces disciplinary if he doesn't adhere to the rules. I will never forget setting the lady with a blood gas in her arm 2 drips and smoking in her dressing gown on the bench right outside the main entrance where the words no smoking area are painted in bright yellow capital letters. It doesn't make them stop. Neither did removing the benches to discourage them from congregating.

[Rhine]

They do this outside our local hospital as well. Right outside the main entrance where there is a big sign saying "No Smoking", you even see patients in dressing gowns, some in wheelchairs, sat there puffing away like chimneys. I've never understood why the rules don't apply to them?

Smokers are selfish anyway IMO.

[antismoker111]

Smoking on bospital grounds should not be tolerated. I unfortunately was in A & E last year (ground floor) with blood clots in my lungs, hardly able to breathe, however the smokers were standing outside the open window despite there being numerous signs saying 'No Smoking anywhere on the site'. Several check ups later I still have to pass the many smokers (inc staff) to get inside. The worst entrances are A&E and Maternity!!

[Andrewofgg]

Tigerbike What? I was a patient at the Marsden twenty years ago (and still here, fuck you cancer!) and there was none then. It would in any event be illegal now. Are you sure about what you are saying?

[gobbin]

My hospital is a non-smoking site. I am grateful for this as I hate everything related to smoking. None of my friends or colleagues smoke (the two colleagues who did gave up).

I was in hosp for over a fortnight very recently. One person was admitted to the ward who was in a lot of distress and it took ages for them to get appropriate pain and sickness relief. They didn't help their case by slipping off for a fag (god knows where as it's very much policed) and had a stern telling off when they got back. My sympathy score went from 10 to 0.

[CaptChaos]

My hospital is also a non smoking site. Which has ashtrays everywhere, including just outside A&E.

Hospitals are funny places. People getting bad news, people getting good news, people worrying, people celebrating. All occasions to have a fag.

Smokers probably should all just be rounded up and shot, and not allowed into hospitals at all, self inflicted injuries/illness taking money away from clean living paragons of virtue.

I don't smoke BTW. I don't judge others for smoking either. I'm also a bally rebel, who, if I did smoke, would do it wherever I wanted to outside of buildings.

[HowLongIsTooLong]

have no solution for you, but this is a great song which refers to this subject:

"The saddest thing I ever saw was smokers outside the hospital door"

[ThatBloodyWoman]

Everyone ignores the non smoking stuff outdoors on our local hospital site.

I have other things to worry about than a few people having a sneaky fag.

YABU.

I like to think a bit of tolerance of others is a good thing.

[Treeceratops]

YANBU. When I was in the early stages of labour with DS last year (being induced), I opened the window to try to cool down and had to close it again due to the inconsiderate feckers smoking in the hospital entrance right below me. I wish I'd had the nerve to say something.

[ICanSeeTheSun]

I am not speaking for all smokers, but when I was smoking I didn't realise the impact of my smoking had on others.

[Phineyj]

YANBU, as the hospital has a smoking area. The designated smoking area where I used to work was made into a bike shelter and the site became 'non-smoking'. The nearby supermarket carpark is now the smoking area and the ashtray was the planter at the front of the hospital, until the plants died from the build up of ash. Now the ashtray is the floor and a caretaker has to sweep there regularly. I think most addicted smokers are pretty thick skinned though, and I expect 'designated smoking areas' smell horrible to them too?

[CantEvenKeepAnOrchidAlive]

I used to work in a completely smoke free hospital. To be fair, most people would abide by it but you would get the odd few outside the entrances and some staff in hidden areas and we would receive conflicting advice from senior management. Some would say challenge, others would say leave it, you don't know what's going on in their lives. And even though the hospital would try to enforce it, it wasn't technically illegal. Hence no one handing round fines or the like.

YANBU though. But being in hospital isn't pleasant regardless of whether you are a patient or visitor so I would say try not judge too much.

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

Nah, trouble with rounding 'em up and shooting 'em is that everybody would have to pay far more tax. I reckon we should carry on as we are, charge them through the nose for something they became addicted to as children and that is sanctioned for sale in every supermarket, off-licence and newsagent in the land while simultaneously telling them at every possible opportunity that they smell and are stupid and selfish and that they 'simply don't realise ... blah blah blah'.

Of course we should also make sure that wherever they smoke they are told it's wrong, until the point where it's legal to buy them but not to smoke them anywhere at all - as long as they keep buying them (taxes, remember?) and die somewhere else without taking up any resources, quietly and preferably in deep shame (or maybe on Channel 4 if we can make An Example of them)

[MyFairyKing]

Plenty I genuinely don't have an issue with someone smoking but surely you can see that it is unpleasant for people with lung conditions? I'm not saying don't smoke in public but it's a freaking hospital!

Also, the "addicted as children" line is just emotive excuse making. Not every adult smoker started at 12.

As I said up thread, you cannot ever suggest that people use the smoking shelters outside hospitals without being yelled at that you want to murder all smokers and eat their babies. My local hospital has made it pleasant for those who want to smoke; shelter from the rain and a bench, yet still, people are selfish. This isn't about smoking, it's about people being selfish and not giving a shit about others.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I think Plenty makes a fair point.

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

MyFairyKing, yay! You got selfish in, twice, well done! (need to work on your 'smelly' and 'stupid' though - smokers should be told!)

Also, the "addicted as children" line is just emotive excuse making. Not every adult smoker started at 12.

2/3 of current smokers started under the age of 18 and 200,000 11-15 year olds start smoking each year in the UK ASH figures. Half of them will die prematurely because of it. But yeah, emotive excuse making ... whatever.

[VioletHare]

I was in hosp for over a fortnight very recently. One person was admitted to the ward who was in a lot of distress and it took ages for them to get appropriate pain and sickness relief. They didn't help their case by slipping off for a fag (god knows where as it's very much policed) and had a stern telling off when they got back. My sympathy score went from 10 to 0

This post made me really cross. Your sympathy score went from 10 to 0? For someone clearly having a rough time, just because they had a cigarette?

[ThatBloodyWoman]

Does anyone realise how hard it is for a patient to struggle with anxiety, fear, pain, missing their family and nicotine craving?

I suspect only smokers or ex smokers can fully appreciate this.

[MyFairyKing]

Well, I apologise for my comment about young smokers.

It may a joke to you but I have a serious condition. Fucking hell.

I have not criticised smokers FFS, I would prefer you didn't smoke next to the entrance. Why is that difficukt

[MyFairyKing]

That The hospitals do understand and provided smoking shelters. Why not use them?

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I don't smoke, MyFairy,but I would imagine they smell and get used as toilets, and some people are not able to walk further from the doors.
I do agree that they should be used though, and probably most excuses for not using them aren't particularly valid. Our local hospital is a completely non smoking site though, I thought.I've never seen smoking shelters and I see staff huddled at the gates.
Its just that I can see both sides, and I think that given the traumas that can unfold in hospitals, a bit of understanding works both ways.