---Thomas Jefferson
"It sometimes takes a large amount of data to beging to offset the large amount of denial that happens on these threads. Smoking in nursing homes is a serious safety issue that cannot be ignored."
---Raycpa
GOOD one!
Posted on 09/26/2006 12:45:51 AM PDT by SheLion
Delaware County's ban on smoking in most work places has become a problem for some nursing homes, which are both work places for employees and homes for the residents.
The smoking ordinance does not prevent people from smoking in their homes, but it does ban smoking in most public buildings and work spaces.
If a nursing home bans smoking, they could lose federal funding for failing to comply with regulations, but if they allow smoking they could face fines or a lawsuit from the county health department, officials said.
Federal regulations state that if a nursing home changes its policy and bans smoking, it must create an appropriate area for current residents to continue smoking.
Robin Shackleford, a policy and research specialist for the Indiana Health Care Association, said nursing homes could jeopardize their Medicaid and Medicare funding if they follow the county's ban.
"This is not a health issue - it's a patients' rights issue," Shackleford said. "The facilities are caught in the middle of deciding which law to comply with."
To fix the problem, Delaware County commissioners have introduced an ordinance to exempt nursing homes from the smoking ban. But two of the three commissioners say they don't plan to approve the exemption when final action is taken on Oct. 2.
Commissioner Larry Crouch said smoking should not be allowed in nursing homes.
"How many people are in these nursing homes because of a smoking habit?" Crouch asked.
It's not whether or not you're on a list. If you're vocal about your opinions, you're on somebody's list. It's what list you're on that counts. I'm proud to be on a couple lists. Seems I'm an enemy to liberals far and wide. I haven't found myself on any lists I'd be ashamed to be on. If I did, I guess I'd be just as upset as the paranoid nanny-staters. It's funny. They want to voice their rabid opposition to all things American, but they object to being identified with their own opinions.
Just drop it, ok? We all know where you stand on smoker's rights, so give it a rest.
You already violated your mom's maxim by falsely accusing me of saying something nasty.
Give it a rest. Move on.
Tyrants often refuse to believe that while they are building their socialist or command-economy utopias, they are also building a resistance factor.
You can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke. That's understandable. It doesn't make you a bad person. When I was a kid, the smell of smoke in my Uncle's house, with him and my Mom's other brothers playing cards and talking politics used to make my eyes water. They should have banned that crap in 1979 when I was 11 years old. I would have appreciated it.
I can empathize with you. The difference is back then, I had no choice. Here's how I deal with it as an adult:
I don't like Indian restaurants. The smell of the curry agravates my allergies. I can't stand it. Plus, I smell like a New York City cab driver for the entire week.
That's why I don't go to Indian restaurants anymore.
If me and you were progressive liberals, we would use the power of the State to ban it altogether.
GOOD one!
It's wonderful. Been rolling my own now for over 4 years. And not paying into the state coffers blows my mind. They use the smoke's tax dollars to control, abuse and restrict us. I don't NEED it!!!
So, good for you! 
Yeah, a "tyrant" would really fear the Brigade of Wheezers. Besides it is PRECISELY in the socialist countries than huge percentages smoke. Far worse than here.
I have seen the death and destruction of cigarette smoke first hand and it led to the death of my father, grandfather and father in law. It is a terrible addiction.
If you look at the stats more nursing home residents die as a result of falling out of bed than smoking...bet they are reaching for a cigarette when they fall out of bed.
I think about that myself all the time. I have small children.
There are no guarantees in life. We all know smokers who lived to be 80 or 90 something. We all know non-smokers, like my wife's best friends who are in their 30's. One died of brain cancer and left a 2 year old daughter behind and another friend has breast cancer and is still battling.
If something were to happen to me, I wouldn't want my son to blame it on Big Tobacco or Big Government. We all have to take personal responsibility for our own decisions if we want to still claim that this is a free country.
I know it's no consolation, but at least your dad and granddad died as free men. I don't know if I can say the same for us today. Whether we die tomorrow by terrorist attack or in a hospital bed 40 years from now as a result of all the Big Macs and Budweisers or old age.
Well, we will never know what they were reaching for. Maybe their water or the phone. Why single out cigarettes???
Upon giving this further thought.........people in nursing homes that are confined to their beds have the bed rails pulled up so they CAN'T fall out.
My exact point....regardless of precautions, accidents happen.
Besides it is PRECISELY in the socialist countries than huge percentages smoke. Far worse than here.
Yes, it's a shame that one must go to a socialist country in order to enjoy a little personal freedom.
That guy is not whining about fantasies.
Are you sure you are on the right site? DU is where most of those hallucinating about the "lost freedoms" generally hang out.
It's more of a hangout for those advocating legislating away freedom.
Maybe you should try it.
Perhaps you could point out where I have advocated any such thing?
You don't object to smoking bans.
You celebrate them.
The subject of this article involves smoking bans by nursing homes which are apparently hindered by government policy even though the homes are privately owned.
What I have said about this is that given the litigation CERTAINTY contingent upon a smoker caused fire the homes are certain to ban smoking. They have no choice.
I also believe that smoking in such places is VERY dangerous. But I don't even believe the government will have to get involved in this.
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