Starting with July 7, smoking in all five psychiatric facilities across New Jersey will be prohibited, according to Jennifer Velez, Chairman of Committee on Human Services.  

In 2006, smoking was prohibited in all enclosed public places in the State, including the mental health institutions. With the approval of the latest amendment, the tobacco smoking ban would be spread to outdoor facilities, whereas the staff, visitors and patients are barred from lighting there.

The ban enters into effect more than a year after Gov. Jon Corzine endorsed the law which distinguished NJ psychiatric community. The law was celebrated by its authors who claimed it would have brought health benefits for the people treated for metal illnesses, whereas the critics declared it interfered with civil rights of the patients.

Human Services Chairman said that the latest ordinance reflected efforts applied in other medical institutions across the US and supports the initiative of Federal Health Department to enhance wellness of the patients.

According to a country-wide research from 2007, on average, people suffering from mental disease live 20-25 years less than the remaining part of population, whereas almost 75 percent of mental health patients have been smoking on a regular basis, said Gavin Marton, vice chairman of NJ Human Services Committee.

Psychiatrists have admitted that such comprehensive ban on smoking has many benefits, since it helps preventing exposure to passive smoking and enhances the health of personnel and patients, gives more time for various exercises and treatment, reduces tension, and, what is the most important, contributes to better assimilations of medications administered to patients, since they would not interfere with nicotine and other additives anymore.

However, human rights advocates named the ban excessive and unfair and attempted to seek amendments to the ban, providing voluntary smoking cessations therapies and programs. They stated that as the remaining part of NJ population has the right to continue smoking despite doctor’s recommendations, mental health patients should have similar rights.  Some of the critics even stated that complete ban on smoking would lead to black market boom among patients and other essentially negative consequences.

Cassandra Reich, spokesperson of the NJ Mental Health Association declared that psychiatric facilities should not be treated like common medical centers, because the majority of patients did not want to be there, they are forced to be there, with many for long-term periods and against will, so it would be very difficult to explain them that smoking would be prohibited, as well as force them to stop smoking cold turkey.

She said the MHA did not support smoking at all; however, taking into account the condition of many patients, their rights should not be violated.

Gavin Marton said the ban has not been imposed unexpectedly, because the patients and their relatives have been educated about the health risks through several hospital-wide smoking cessation programs held during the last 12 months.

Marton also mentioned that the greater part of medical facilities across New Jersey do not permit smoking indoors, while almost a half of mental health hospitals throughout the nation as well banned smoking within their territories.