Since July 2008, mental health facilities in England have had indoor smoking bans. However, NICE guidelines recommend that all NHS sites, including psychiatric hospitals become completely smoke-freeIt is written by Olivia Maynard, who has carved a lucrative career as a professional anti-smoker. She reviews the 'evidence' surrounding enforcing bans on people with mental health who are locked up for their own good, and finds it hunky-dory.
The evidence presented in this systematic review suggests that complete bans are the most effective at encouraging smoking cessation and that the provision of nicotine dependence treatment, such as NRT or brief advice, is also crucial.Personally, I disagree.
.@OliviaMaynard17 If you believe acceptable to force smokers to quit while incarcerated and suffering mental health probs, you're quite evil
— Dick Puddlecote (@Dick_Puddlecote) May 18, 2015
Because, you see - by Olivia's own admission - the only thing anti-smokers think is important is quitting smoking. Nothing else.
Importantly, none of the studies in this review explored the impact of smoke-free legislation on mental health outcomes.Overall wellbeing isn't at all important to the tobacco control industry, they don't get paid for that. Torturing mental health patients by targeting them at their most vulnerable and when they have had their rights to self-determination taken away from them - over an issue hyped beyond rationality by career prohibitionists in Maynard's industry - is morally nauseating.
I may be a hopeless believer in personal freedoms, but anyone who would even consider forcing someone to quit smoking when they are at a low ebb and incarcerated is on a par with vile moral Victorians who used to lock up unmarried teen mothers in asylums for making the wrong choices in life.
Those who agree that it's a good idea should be hunted for sport, in my opinion.
