The Arizona State Hospital is now a Smoke Free environment, marking a historic move designed to benefit patients, staff & visitors.
New signs announce that smoking is no longer permitted on the grounds of the state's only publicly owned & operated psychiatric hospital, located at 24th & Van Buren streets in Phoenix.
"While approx. 23% of the general population smokes, the prevalence is 3 times higher in persons with other addictions or mental illness," said John Cooper, Arizona State Hospital CEO. "The heavy rate of smoking in our patient populations puts them at higher risk of developing medical consequences from long-term tobacco use, such as emphysema, heart disease & cancer."
Besides reducing health care costs for patients, the new Smoke Free policy is expected to have other benefits. Other states with bans in their psychiatric hospitals have observed decreased aggression & assaults, a reduction in the use of restraints & psychiatric medications, improved patient supervision, suppression of the black market in cigarettes, & better participation in therapy sessions.
The state hospital, working with the Department of Health Service's Bureau of Tobacco Education & Prevention, is providing evidence-based tobacco dependence treatment programs to help staff & patients kick the habit. The hospital also has made treating nicotine addiction an integral component of clinical assessment, treatment planning & clinical interventions.
The announcement follows months of work by the hospital's Tobacco Free workgroup to meet with staff, patients and other parties to develop and implement the Smoke Free policy.