Safety

Measuring policy vs. compassion in enforcing smoking bans

Emergency Management Alert, November 20, 2007

Here's a link to a story about a growing trend of hospitals banning smoking from their campuses. But what this and other stories seem to miss is the question of what to do in extreme situations when some people need to light up. As one safety officer who wished to remain anonymous told us, "What are you going to say to someone who lights up a cigarette when he finds out his child has just died?" When we asked him how he handled such situations, he said, "I take the attitude of, 'I didn't see it.' It's against my job, but it's the most compassionate way out." He added that such situations weren't numerous, and that he's never been called on his see-no-evil approach.

 

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