CANADA — New research has found that hospital smoking bans are being largely ignored by patients and staff. In addition, the bans are creating unintended safety issues for patients.
The study used data collected at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton and Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre, the Montreal Gazette reports. Non-compliance with the ban was found to be typical, and enforcement was minimal. Also, patients risked exposure to freezing temperatures to smoke outside, sometimes resulting in frozen IV lines or the malfunction of electronic equipment.
Researchers found that patients who attempted to quit smoking while in a hospital received little to no support in doing so.
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