the essential
While tobacco-free zones are expanding in Europe, in Toulouse, the University Hospital has taken the initiative to deploy “Tobacco-free places”. After the Rangeuil hospital in May, the Purpan site will move there on January 1, 2025.
Will cigarettes soon disappear from cafe terraces, near schools or even near bus stops? And with them the polluting cigarette butts? It’s very possible. While in Ireland, Spain and Hungary there is a total ban on smoking in enclosed public places, the health ministers of European states spoke out at the beginning of December in favor of extending tobacco-free zones.
A rule, with places of tolerance
In Toulouse, there already exists one. This is Rangueil hospital, where smoking has been prohibited since May 31. On January 1st, it will be the turn of the Purpan site to become a “tobacco-free health center”.
Also read:
Rangueil hospital becomes a tobacco-free health center: what does this mean in practice?
“In healthcare establishments, smoking places have been prohibited by law since 2006. But there is exceptional management. In Rangueil, we have just installed two smoking shelters, tolerance spaces, which will be signposted and at in which we will have prevention posters because this does not happen overnight”, indicates Sébastien Fleury, midwife and tobacco specialist, leader of this project at the Toulouse University Hospital. However, there are still offenders, proof of which is the cigarette butts found in front of the entrance. But in the absence of verbalization, the caregiver hopes that the new shelters will encourage everyone to respect the approach taken by the health establishment.
In Purpan, the process was participatory and involved 14 meetings. They resulted in the creation of 23 tolerance zones, including some at the Garonne hospital, which will be created in parking spaces and will also be indicated by signage in the shape of dragonflies. “But these tobacco-free places are only the visible part of the iceberg, we have also set up training for caregivers and we offer smokers, for the duration of their hospitalization, nicotine replacements,” continues the hospitalist.
The Larrey hospital should follow, then the Hôtel-Dieu. And perhaps one day public places managed by the municipality. Because if for the moment nothing has been done, Nicolas Misiak, the elected official in charge of these questions confirms that he is “in the process of studying the establishment of non-smoking zones near health establishments, but not only “.
Health
