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Thursday 13 September 2012

Irish Doctors Hate You Too

May the deity of Public Health forbid smokers ever get injured in Ireland, for they shall not be treated with courtesy nor respect.  A hospital in Letterkenny, Donegal hates smokers so much that they're going to force them to stand in the street, practically.

No smoking in the car park. No smoking anywhere on hospital grounds.  It's a bit of a walk to the pavement and the nurses aren't allowed to go with you. You're on your own, if you can make it there and back. 

Traverse the gauntlet if you dare, smokers
 "But Elaine Robinson, the hospital's specialist in smoking cessation, said that as a healthcare institution it can no longer be seen to promote smoking," the BBC's article says.
Emphasis added in the above quote.

So, allow me to understand this properly: Letting people be grown-ups and doing what they want to do is promoting smoking? Are you fucking mad, lady?

Ms Robinson is not alone on her insane quest to eradicate smokers, though, and she has Dr. Santhosh David and Martina McDaid to keep her company on the road to prohibition, as this Donegal Daily news article suggests (emphasis added):
Martina McDaid, Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse, LGH, states; “We are serious about treating tobacco use as a care issue, as an addiction, and not as a lifestyle choice, and we provide support and treatments for people who want or need to quit here on campus and in the community.
[...]
"For those who are not ready to quit on admission, we will provide treatments to assist them to manage their addiction during their hospital stay."
Interesting choice of words. Looks like you, smoker, do not have any choice in the matter. They will take care of forcing you to quit, or you can stand alongside the N56 (if you make it that far) and breathe clean, healthy exhaust fumes.  Because they care about your health.

Well, that's Ireland scratched off my list of potential holiday destinations.

Do not get ill in Donegal
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