Petition against compulsory cessation of smoking for patients confined involuntarily in psychiatric wards and services in Victoria

  • Author:
    n/a
  • Send To:
    Victoria (Australia) Mental Health Services
  • Sponsored By:
    Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council
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We believe that total bans on smoking in psychiatric wards and rehabilitation units, (even in a supervised area which is safe and free from secondary passive smoke inhalation) are unjust, discriminatory and inappropriate.

We understand that smoking is unhealthy, and many of us who smoke have tried to give up and may try again when the time is right for us.

However we believe that during an active psychiatric illness is NOT the right time, as it may lead to further distress and agitation. It may also discourage people from seeking help from a psychiatric service if they know the price having to stop smoking, leading to increased illness.

We believe that while tobacco is legal, consumers of mental health services should have the same right to smoke in the place of their residence as other Australians, even Australians in prison.

Many consumers are required against their will to stay in psychiatric wards and units, unlike patients in non-psychiatric wards, sometimes for months and years, and many of these consumers are not allowed to leave the ward freely, meaning that consumers cannot smoke at home or anywhere.

Being forced to stop smoking against your will is cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment in our opinion, for people already under stress, as well as being ineffective in encouraging permanent quitting. Many well staff and managers find stopping smoking too difficult.

We ask for immediate application of the exemptions available under the law for psychiatric inpatient and rehabilitation services, to allow smoking in a safe environment which protects the health of non-smokers; so that consumers of psychiatric services can have the same rights as other Australians.

198 Signatures

  • William Moon
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Consumer
  • Peter Trinh
    • Comments
    • Let them have their rights to smoke.
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Public
  • Melissa Muir
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • mental health worker
  • Matthew Campbell
    • Comments
    • I know that many poeple with mental illness smoke This is becuase there is a chemical in tobaco that makes sufferes of feal grounded. Years ago there was research on trying to make a safe drug based on this.In life we are required to make choices between the lesser of Evils.Smokeing is preferable to suicide
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • member of public & carer
  • paul
    • Comments
    • i like smoking
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • consumer
  • Sophie Delaney
    • Comments
    • An outrageous expectation of people in crisis - and coinciding with the introduction of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities!
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Mental Health Lawyer
  • Karina Bonney
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Lawyer
  • Nancy Hughes
    • Comments
    • Will there also be a ban on food & drink for the overweight
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Mental health worker
  • Sara Clarke
    • Comments
    • adding nicotine withdrawal and that level of distress to people already in deep distress must be considered cruel and completely counter-intuitive
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • consumer
  • Maureen Smith
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • member of the public
  • Joanne Switserloot
    • Comments
    • People are in enough stress at a time like this, it is cruel to add to their distress. Smoking can be a coping mechanism as are other things like drinking and even self harm, these unhealthy behaviours can actually save people's lives!
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Consumer advocate
  • Karu Hewett
    • Comments
    • As always those whose knowledge is supposed to be superior to ours have deemed physical health is more important than mental health. One day they might awaken to the fact that it is mental anguish that causes dis-ease.
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Member of the public
  • Jeremy Stride
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
  • Cath Roper
    • Comments
    • Smoking is not an illegal activity for adults. Hospital boards need to recommend their mental health facilities are exempt from smoking bans and provide open air but sheltered space that does not impinge on the rights of non smokers. Forcing adults to stop smoking is an infringement of otherwise taken for granted civil freedoms to be self determining. When organisations force consumers who are subject to mental health legislation to stop smoking, they need to be wary that beneficence is not being tested against rights to autonomy - in this case, to smoke. This falls dangerously into the area of systemic rights abuse.
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
  • Nicci Wall
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Consumer
  • Lynne Harvey
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
  • Trudy Stendt
    • Comments
    • We have rights!
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Consumer
  • Darren Dorey
    • Comments
    • Un unfair and unjust breach of peoples human rights and freedom, Smoking is Legal and a personal choice, it is known as a stress reliever at a time where people are prone to be stessed to the max. It is often all that a person has left of the "real" world.
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Former consumer, current Mental Health worker
  • Emma McPherson
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Counsellilng - Admin.
  • Vanessa
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • member of the public
  • Wayne
    • Comments
    • This is a contravention of rights
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
  • Tara M
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • psychology student\mental illness sufferer
  • Stephen Tyas
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Member of public
  • breanna mantz
    • Comments
    • i feel that we all need outlets in which helps us to calm down and relax if we want to smoke to chill out our minds then let us smoke!!!!
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • no
  • Nathan Mackie
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • member of the public
  • Kelly Ireland
  • Ashlena
    • Comments
    • it gets them to go outside and be sociable!
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • I am in the mental health system in nz
  • Chantal Bryan
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • yes
  • Michelle Anne Fenton
    • Comments
    • Motivation to cease any habit, must come from within the person, not a external force. You can measure quality of life by amount of choices you have. This is the removal of choice. Against Victorian Charter of Human rights.
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Psychiatric Nurse
  • Cara O'Sullivan
    • Comments
    • Have stayed in mental hospitals for several months, luckily without smoking bans but could not imagine not being allowed to
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • member of public with mental illness
  • Fern Chaplin
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Member of the public
  • Larissa MacFarlane
    • Comments
    • having been a smoker, i know that being under stress, ill, or losing ones identity in the hospital system, is not conducive to stopping smoking. this ban takes away even more of our dignity and right to choose the life we want to lead.
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • consumer/worker/member of the public
  • Sylvie Leber
    • Comments
    • Victorian Government is uninformed and more concerned with risk management than social justice
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Friend of consumers
  • Joanne Pyke
  • Duncan Graham
  • Chanelle
  • margaret A. Hall
    • Comments
    • I work in prisons and the AAU particularly and have also worked when Royal Park was "alive". I agree that being in an institution is not the right time to give up smoking.
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Chaplain in prisons.
  • leon cain
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
  • Martin Wurt
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • member of public
  • Paul Elliott
    • Comments
    • Even though smoking is dangerous we should be allowed to smoke in our place of residnce.
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • Member of the public
  • Volkan Kemal
    • Comments
    • I'm against any compolsories..
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • N/A
  • Janet
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • consumer
  • tony fryer
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • worker
  • meng ng
    • Comments
    • Smoking is an addiction which is unhealthy and costly to both the smoker and the public. Nonethless, it is legal. Individuals who are hospitalised involuntarily are not in a good position to forgo their dependency. Banning smoking will add to their misery in an already stressful situation and will not end their addiction. It also infringes their basic human rights in an environment which has removed most of them.
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • worker
  • Colette Leber
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • social work student
  • Stuart Martin
    • Comments
    • Many Psych patients feel calmer smoking - and more anxious when they don't!
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
  • robert alvarez
    • Comments
    • bad bad time
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
  • Danielle McLeod
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • worker
  • nicole hilder
    • Comments
    • В
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No
    • (Optional) Are you a consumer, mentaL health worker, carer, member of the public
    • В
  • Angeline
    • (Optional) Are you a smoker currently
    • No