Hospital extends smoking ban to nearby sidewalks

When I worked in the hospital, they had a new policy that there was no smoking ANYWHERE on hospital property. Meaning parking lots, grassy areas, sidewalks, anywhere! Patients, families and employees were supposed to go across the street to smoke. I was on nights, and it was really frustrating to see nurses and techs who smoked taking 30 minute breaks every couple of hours because they were smokers and the charge nurse ignored it. I also saw patients in wheelchairs being wheeled across the street by family members to smoke

Yes this is the sort of thing that goes on. How would you like to own the house across the street and have hundreds of people loitering around and leaving their smelly old butts on your front steps. I have had home owners tell me they had that experience.

Where I work, the houses across the street all have signs in them that state, "Take your BUTTS back to xyz." They're not too happy about our smoking ban. I'm not a smoker, and I'd love to see everyone quit (in my perfect world), but it's ridiculous to see patients in wheelchairs with IV poles across the street smoking!! Wait until someone gets run over in their w/c... I think the hospital needs to give them back their "smoking hut."