Former mayor fumes over smoking ban

FORMER Mayor of Clare, Councillor Tommy Brennan is fuming over the introduction this week of the smoke-free campus policy at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Ennis.
Councillor Brennan, who is a smoker for the last 50 years, has claimed the new policy will force patients and smokers off the hospital grounds and onto the main Ennis to Galway Road, where they could get knocked down by a passing vehicles.
Describing the new policy as a “step too far”, Councillor Brennan declared, “Who will police this new policy? Will the HSE employ someone to follow patients in their pyjamas who want a smoke into trees and bushes?
“I think it would be more in line for the HSE to open up the new 50-bed unit in the hospital instead of introducing this policy. If any patient who leaves the hospital grounds for a smoke takes a turn, they could get killed on the Galway Road.
“Are we living in a republic or a dictatorship? It should be left up to people to choose whether they want to have a smoke on the hospital grounds or not. This new policy is a step too far,” he said.
Asked if it was a contradiction for a health authority to allow smoking on its grounds and at the same time offer treatment to patients, Councillor Brennan explained he supports the smoking ban inside the hospital.
The councillor said he stopped smoking at one stage for three days but resumed after he joked he was acting “like an anti-Christ”.
Asked if he accepts smoking damages people’s health, the independent councillor admitted he doesn’t have the health qualifications to give a definitive view. “Years ago there was a lot of research saying you couldn’t eat eggs. Now we are told you can eat them,” he said.
The Mid-Western Regional Hospital Group, including St John’s Hospital, Dooradoyle, Regional Maternity, Nenagh General, Ennis and Croom Orthopaedic Hospital, are introducing a smoke-free campus policy this Thursday on World No Tobacco Day.
From this date it will no longer be possible to smoke anywhere on the hospital grounds, including entrances, doorways, walkways, internal roads, bus shelters, car parks, cars or bicycle shelters. The policy will apply to all staff, patients, visitors, contractors and anyone who enters the hospital buildings or grounds.
A HSE spokeswoman stressed Ennis hospital is not implementing this policy in isolation.
Hospital manager Frank Keane said, “The issue of policing the policy doesn’t arise as we are merely promoting a healthy lifestyle choice and supporting patients to stop smoking. The initiative should be seen for what it is, the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.”
He also said a number of hospitals have already implemented a smoke-free campus.

Aidan O’Brien, consultant physician said this is a very welcome, timely initiative, which will contribute to the growing restriction of access to tobacco products.
“With up to one-third of young adults actively smoking at the present time, policies like this are vitally needed. In addition, this initiative will help limit the detrimental effects of second-hand cigarette smoke, which has been well proven to have significant adverse effects on one’s respiratory and cardiovascular health,” he said.
The HSE has set a target of introducing a Smoke Free Campus Policy to all health campuses by 2015. All patients are being informed of the new policy in advance of their admission to hospital and, when admitted, patients who smoke will be offered free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) during their hospital stay. Patients can also be referred to the hospital’s free smoking cessation service.
Ennis health promotion coordinator and respiratory nurse specialist, Carmel McInerney stated the more support given, the more likely people are to quit.
“Staff in the MWRH Ennis will now be offered training to effectively support all patients who smoke to make a quit attempt. Minimal support will enable a number of smokers to commence quitting and will also guide the more dependent smokers towards intensive smoking cessation support services provided by the HSE health promotion services; the national quit line service and the HSE’s online QUIT programme.”