VA Hospital bans tobacco for patients and staff
Michael Hughes started smoking at age 15.
That was almost five decades ago. That’s a lot of cigarettes, a lot of smoke flowing through his lungs and a lot of money spent on packs of Cools.
The Vietnam veteran has tried to quit eight times. Now, he’s trying again and hopes this time it will stick. Hughes suffers from a chronic inflammatory lung disease and wants a healthier life.
There’s another incentive — the Milwaukee VA Medical Center where he works as a mail clerk is eliminating smoking for all employees by Jan. 1.
Starting this month, all inpatients and those having medical procedures will not be allowed to use any type of tobacco or smoking materials during their stay.
“I think it’s a good idea. I think it will help a lot of people quit smoking,” Hughes said following a recent smoking cessation class at the medical center.
The Milwaukee VA is catching up with other hospitals and clinics that have already gone smoke-free. Most restaurants and bars, and venues such as new Fiserv Forum, are smoke-free as is all federal public housing.
The new rule was prompted by a recent change in standards at VA medical facilities that prohibit ignition sources within 15 feet of oxygen.
“We thought the best thing to do, after a risk assessment, was to go smokefree,” said Christina Orr, assistant medical center director. “Why not aim to provide the best care for our veterans and staff ?”
Though all VA medical centers have been smoke-free since 1992, smoking was allowed in shelters. By law, the Milwaukee VA must continue to provide one smoking shelter.
An estimated 20 percent of veterans and 20 percent of staff at the Milwaukee VA use tobacco. That’s higher than the general population in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated in 2016 that 15.5 percent of American adults smoke cigarettes.
But perhaps it’s not so unusual considering the “smoke ‘em if you got ‘em” ethos in the American military until a few decades ago. Throughout World War II and later wars, battlefield rations routinely included cigarettes. Smokers were given smoke breaks while nonsmokers did not get a break from work or physical training. And smoking was a way for military members to cope with boredom or calm their nerves in war zones.
Veterans who smoke and are living in the VA’s community living center will be grandfathered in, though anyone moving in to the nursing home will not be allowed to smoke.
“There may be some growing pains with this and we acknowledge it,” said Milwaukee VA Medical Center spokesman Gary Kunich. “That’s why we’re making an extra strong effort to offer smoking cessation classes and we’re offering nicotine patches and lozenges and other nicotine products.”
Employees will not be allowed to smoke in their vehicles or smoking shelters while they’re working. Smoking cessation classes started earlier this year and nicotine patches, gum and lozenges will be provided for free.
For employees who are caught smoking during work there will be progressive discipline starting with warnings.
“This is not meant to be punitive,” said Orr.
One group that will not be affected by the rule change is those living in the residential mental health treatment program.
“We don’t think it’s a wise choice to take away smoking while they’re working on mental health issues like PTSD,” Kunich said.
At a recent smoking cessation class at the Milwaukee VA, eight employees listened as pharmacist Mikki Harms asked them how long they had smoked cigarettes. When she asked five years, everyone’s hand raised. They stayed up as Harms asked 10, 15, 20 years with the last hand going down at 50 years.
“It’s a hard life change you’re trying to break,” said Harms.
Attending the smoking cessation class were Kim Simic and Beth Cassidy, who remember in the 1980s when cigarettes were sold in the hospital gift shop and smoking was allowed throughout the Milwaukee VA.
A smoker of Newport 100s, Simic has never tried to quit until now. Cassidy has smoked for 25 years and is ready to become a non-smoker, especially since packs of smokes now cost $7 to $8.
“I’m tired of having holes in my clothes. I financially can’t afford it anymore,” Cassidy said.