What's with all the smokers outside the hospitals?

[nerd 10]

Argh! what is it with smokers congregating outside the main doors to the hospitals? Hallamshire is the worst, but Northern is also bad. Why do they do this? right next to a big no smoking sign? Surely if they are well enough to come down off the wards they can walk the 50 metres to leave the hospital grounds, or even move away from the doors would be enough. But if you ask the smokers to stop or to move, they get so nasty.

I saw a girl today at the start of visiting hours waiting outside the hallamshire when a group went and stood right next to her and started smoking. When she politely asked them to move they turned on her, shouting all kinds of abuse, she looked terrified.

Anyone else noticed this kind of behaviour/got any ideas on how to stop this from happening?:rant:

 

 

http://www.whatwouldnikkido.com

[beddoe79 10]

It used to make me laugh when my mum was in hospital and you would see all the one's hooked up to oxygen outside smoking. Its a wonder they didn't blow themselves up.

[Dhimmi 10]

The Hallamshire actually employed wardens to dissuade people from smoking on the grounds, but the wardens were physically and verbally abused, and threatened by some of the smokers, so they handed in their notice. I guess they can't have been paid enough! Tells you something about the kind of people who smoke, doesn't it?

 

It used to make me laugh when my mum was in hospital and you would see all the one's hooked up to oxygen outside smoking. Its a wonder they didn't blow themselves up.

I bet their cigarettes didn't last very long in the oxygen rich atmosphere - they probably had more of a flame at the end than a red glow!

[nerd 10]

The ones on oxygen terrify me - if they want to explode themselves then fine, but please do not blow me up too!

 

 

http://www.whatwouldnikkido.com

[Minimo 59]

Come on, give smokers a bit of slack. Being in hospital is stressful and if a smoke makes it a little easier so be it. Anti smokers have had a lot of success getting smoking banned in enclosed places and I wouldn`t argue with that, so just please have a little tolerance.

I `m a recent non smoker but can still remember how bad the craving was,something non smokers will never understand. It may be irritating to see them congregating round the hospitals or any buildings, but just walk on by (hold your breath if you have to)

[A.B.Yaffle 24]

When my wife was in Jessops in June I couldn't believe the number of heavily pregnant women standing outside having a smoke. One of them was obviously having contractions, and still puffing away!

[peardrops 10]

When my wife was in Jessops in June I couldn't believe the number of heavily pregnant women standing outside having a smoke. One of them was obviously having contractions, and still puffing away!

 

Guilty as charged. When I had my kids 10 years ago I was stood in the smoking room draped over a radiator smoking whilst trying to ignore contractions.

 

Absolutely disgusting behaviour - I'm now a non-smoker and can see how awful it looked.

[nerd 10]

Just to clarify, I have nothing against smokers, if they want to smoke then fine, but why can't they move away from the doors? there are kids, asthmatics, elderly people, ill people arriving in ambulances - and it is against the law now. I just want to know why they will not move away and why they turn so aggressive if you politely ask them to move out of the way. It is all well and good telling me to "hold my breath" but what if you are waiting for a taxi, or have come out yourself to use your phone or get some air? why do they have to be so aggresive?

[Mathom 10]

The sensible answer of course is to have a shelter or even a smoking room (shock horror) but if you turf smokers out with no specified place to go then this is what happens. Like it or not, people will still smoke (especially when stressed), and it's better for everyone if they are corralled into a specified area.

 

However hysteria takes over these days and we don't pursue sensible options any more.

[Alastair 12]

They should reinstate a smoking room on every floor. I'm not a smoker myself, but you can't expect smokers to give up whilst they are in hospital. For some of them it will be the final days of their lives, what cruel person would deny them a fag?

 

If a heroin addict was admitted to hospital for an unrellated illness they would be given morphine on the NHS.

[Ravenmoon 10]

Smokers are the picked upon in society at the mo,banned from everywhere & so smoke at the first given oppotunity when leaving any banned space & naturally start rabbiting in groups outside .

[WallBuilder 10]

Iused to find the Hallamshire very oppressive and airless and despite my illness I would go down in the lift to stand outside to try and get some fresh air. However with the nearest benches nearly always occupied by smokers the fresh air was dubious to say the least. I'd of thought the best idea would be to make a covered area with plenty of seating the 'official' smoking area but the siting of such an area would be a problem.

On a side note, I often noticed that the road there is very busy and so when ambulances pulled up obstructing the crossing and some poor sod is then wheeled or carried in to the hospital with all the on-lookers I used to think surely ambullances should have a designated drop off and pick up point as they were often left sitting there for ages creating a bottleneck.