Inspired by a commitment toward health, many hospitals have policies stating their campuses are smoke-free. Staff, patients and their families are forbidden from smoking on hospital grounds. Some have taken this further, though – and there’s a serious debate over whether it’s fair. Policies banning smoking at hospitals have become more common over the past few years.
Many facilities across the country, from world-renowned hospitals to smaller facilities, have banned smoking entirely. In fact, over 3,800 hospitals, health systems and clinics have smoke-free campuses, according to information from no-smoke.org. And some municipalities have even passed laws prohibiting smoking within a certain distance from hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
Now there’s a push to keep smokers from working at hospitals. Recently, Arkansas Children’s Hospital created a policy saying that anyone who currently smokes cigarettes won’t be considered for any open positions. Per an Associated Press article from the Washington Times, as of May 1, hospital applicants will be screened for tobacco, just like they’d be for any other drug. If it’s found in their system, they can’t go further in the hiring process – although they’ll be encouraged to reapply after 90 days smoke-free.
