I was sent an e-mail the other day at work that explained some new rules a large alcohol and drug treatment centre was implementing in both it's residential treatment centre and sober living communities. After discussing it with some colleagues it seems these new rules are being adopted by several centres.
The new rules ban smoking on all centre and housing property of the organization. Okay - fair enough. If you don't want people smoking on your property that's okay. I don't agree with it as I feel when someone is quitting alcohol and/or drugs they have enough on their shoulders without having to worry about quitting smoking. Many disagree with me. I speak from personal experience and not some hypothetical scientific theory.
The problem with these new rules is that they go one step further. People are allowed to smoke off property but if a client comes back to the treatment centre or sober living community just smelling of smoke they are automatically discharged - kicked out in layman's terms.
I feel this extremely Draconian. It sounds to me like this was a decision by some upper management who don't deal directly with clients nor realize the hurt this can cause them. Treatment centres and sober living communities are there to help the still suffering alcoholic/addict. How can kicking someone out for smelling like cigarette smoke help anyone? Often people are their lowest when they are staying at these places (especially government or charity run organizations). To me these rules are like kicking someone when they're down. I know how hard it is for staff at treatment centres to kick people out. In some cases you are actually signing someone's death warrant. Do we really want to risk someone's life over second-hand smoke? To me this is health care gone overboard.
Dave the Dude
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