If anyone has been admitted or stayed overnight on a mental health unit in the UK, I would like to know if patients were allowed to smoke on the ward, or on the premisses. I want to focus on smoking cannabis (weed) as I may have some evidence this happens. Now I want to talk to everyone who has experienced/seen this happen and to get your take on the situation. Does this help? or is this an annoyance? Thanks
Smoking in mental health centres
- Thread starter anam
- Start date
nogojones
spelling is overrated
Can I ask why you want to know?
Not direct experience, but I notice that at local unit people smoke outside (fags). I've been a patient (not MH) on the wards opposit and know of other (non MH) patients going out for a spliff on the quiet.
Given the growing evidence of links to poor mental health and high THC cannabis I think staff on the MH wards would be very aware of the risks and discourage use, but that doesn't mean they would be able to stop it totally. If you can drugs in prison, getting them into a hopsital should be pretty easy.
FridgeMagnet
Administrator
There used to be an exemption for MH units from the smoking ban but it was dropped a while ago - BBC NEWS | UK | Smoke ban for mental health units. I see from that article that (at the time anyway) MIND was saying that 70% of patients in them were smokers, which sounds right.
I am pretty sure no ward would let you have a crafty fag without going outside and definitely not a spliff. Obviously people may outside. Anecdotally, IME and in the experience of others I've talked to, the MH system in the U.K. massively overreacts to any hint of drug use apart from tobacco and caffeine - even mentioning you have a joint every now and then can get you marked down as a habitual cannabis addict, so the idea of them letting you light up on a ward seems absurd.
I am pretty sure no ward would let you have a crafty fag without going outside and definitely not a spliff. Obviously people may outside. Anecdotally, IME and in the experience of others I've talked to, the MH system in the U.K. massively overreacts to any hint of drug use apart from tobacco and caffeine - even mentioning you have a joint every now and then can get you marked down as a habitual cannabis addict, so the idea of them letting you light up on a ward seems absurd.
BristolEcho
Well-Known Member
Weird with caffeine considering how fucking anxious it can make you. (Not that I am saying they should band that either.)
Not all MH systems overreact to drug use and there quite a few who understand harm reduction approaches, or just reflecting on actual impact. My experience outside of hospitals is some people in the NHS and social services say it because they feel they have too and can't be seen to condone. Which is obviously bullshit and doesn't work.
Definitely had some eye roll moments though.
Wards are likely different to the fact it is still illegal. Though I doubt they'd change it post prohibition.
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FridgeMagnet
Administrator
No, this is true, some places are better than others and also IME the deeper you get and the more specialised people are, the more likely they are to be realistic about things, even if they feel like they have to put on a front. But a ward stinking of weed in the overall system does sound a bit much
purenarcotic
Conveniently Pocket Sized
It is surely patently obvious that you would not be allowed to use illegal substances in an NHS facility. Even on a private facility they can’t. There will be facilities to smoke cigarettes though.
FridgeMagnet
Administrator
I'm a little concerned about this myself. anam would you care to comment here?
pug
Well-Known Member
I think it varies depending on which hospital trust it is and which site. Round here all smoking is banned on nhs property so there's no smoking on the ward or in the enclosed outside spaces then theres no smoking in the grounds or the car park, patients are not allowed but not stopped from smoking in a discreet area of the car park.
Patients taking tobacco onto the ward have to hand it in to the staff but the staff are not allowed to return it until discharge (on other sites the staff can give it back next time the patient goes out). Patients have to hide their baccy etc in the bushes.
Weed is not allowed funnily enough, it can make some patients really take a serious turn for the worse , if you're caught with it as a patient they'll normally just dispose of it.
Undoubtably patients get up to all sorts of mischief so smoking fags and weed on the wards does happen.
Patients taking tobacco onto the ward have to hand it in to the staff but the staff are not allowed to return it until discharge (on other sites the staff can give it back next time the patient goes out). Patients have to hide their baccy etc in the bushes.
Weed is not allowed funnily enough, it can make some patients really take a serious turn for the worse , if you're caught with it as a patient they'll normally just dispose of it.
Undoubtably patients get up to all sorts of mischief so smoking fags and weed on the wards does happen.
Hi, I had a tip-off from a worker on the NHS who said there would be a strong weed smell on the ward and because they couldn't see it they couldn't report it, so they turn a blind eye to it. I want to talk to other people now who have experienced drug use going on or know somebody that has seen this first hand. This is to get a better idea of the situation at hand. I want to simply talk to people about this. Hope this helps
Hi, can you suggest a forum for me? I'm a a bit new at this, thanks.
wayward bob
i ate all your bees
Hi, I'm a journalism student, this topic id part of my assignment so wanted to get a better picture of this
Athos
Well-Known Member
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
I'd suggest getting in touch with a few mental health centres and seeing if you can ask around for some first hand interviews.
Shechemite
Be the sun and all will see you
Quite. The consequence of this is that people just font disclose drug and/or alcohol use - why bother if all that happens is that you are denied access to mental health care (“you mentioned you are drinking heavily in response to being depressed - come back to us when you’ve stopped drinking”)
Shechemite
Be the sun and all will see you
I’ve had to deal with scumbag dealers hanging around outside wards trying to get me to deliver to their customers.
there’s a learning disabled run cafe in my town - the scum stand right outside blazing up, hassling people, trying to sell their shit
but this doesn’t interest you does it anam? Drug dealers/anti-socials are victims of the system?
there’s a learning disabled run cafe in my town - the scum stand right outside blazing up, hassling people, trying to sell their shit
but this doesn’t interest you does it anam? Drug dealers/anti-socials are victims of the system?
nogojones
spelling is overrated
Oh, you can fuck off then
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
Is it possible to be a little nicer to student journos? I've no problem with actual journos who should know better but be kind eh.
FridgeMagnet
Administrator
It doesn't sound unreasonable that if someone is sneaking a spliff on the ward and the staff can smell it but don't know who it is or have any proof against anyone, they will just have to leave it. I mean what should they do? Not the same as it being allowed.
that's the thing, I want to understand why this happens, are staff overworked or not trained well to handle a situation like this. If anything I'm not going after patients as they are vulnerable themselves. I want to hold power into account and hopefully change the regulations, or for them to consider changing regulations because at the end of the day patient recovery is being effected. The first thing you will see on the NHS website is smoking is not allowed on the wards, but if people can get away with smoking then what about weed?
[/QUOTE]
Of course this interests me, If anything I want to know more about this situation to get a better understanding. I am also fully aware these people can be some of the most vulnerable in society with no hope left so it is always better to get everyside of the story and peoples experiances
Of course this interests me, If anything I want to know more about this situation to get a better understanding. I am also fully aware these people can be some of the most vulnerable in society with no hope left so it is always better to get everyside of the story and peoples experiances
Shechemite
Be the sun and all will see you
‘get away’ with smoking?
if you don’t want drugs on wards then you need to target the dealers.
Modern weed strains stink something rotten and the smoke sticks to you for ages after you've finished smoking it - I walked past a lad in Asda the other week who stank so strongly of weed I felt like I was getting high. He was not smoking a spliff at the time.
Most likely the scent of weed your contact has smelt has come in on a patients of visitors clothes. There's a close to zero chance of it happening on the actual ward itself.
Most likely the scent of weed your contact has smelt has come in on a patients of visitors clothes. There's a close to zero chance of it happening on the actual ward itself.
Clair De Lune
Apocalypse cocktails
I don't think this article idea has the possibility of creating a positive impact. It's more likely to get people pointing fingers at nhs mh staff for not behaving like police or security guards.
BristolEcho
Well-Known Member
So you should say this before fishing. People come to these forums for many reasons and sometimes are personally seeking help or guidance. It's really annoying both on here and outside of here when people pose a question and then it turns out it's for an assignment. It's disingenuous imo to say that you want to change NHS policy when you know it's not likely to happen from an article, but maybe I'm wrong.
I think it's more complicated than that. We need to change the way that we view all drug use including illegal drug use. We need to create an environment and society where people can talk about their drug use without it impacting upon their rights. You've correctly pointed out why people hide their use of substances, and targeting dealers won't help with that as they aren't the route cause of the problem, but a symptom of prohibition and wider sociatial issues.
Just to be clear though I'm not defending the dealers you've mentioned in this thread and their approach. I've no problem with that being sorted, but again it's not always a black and white issue.
nogojones
spelling is overrated
I would normally, but from the op I felt there was an agenda behind the questions and my feelings turned out to be correct. How many journalists articles regarding drug use and mental health are well considered, nuanced peices of writing that bring real understanding compared to those that are sensationalist and finger pointing?
It feels like the OP has an agenda and would like to build a story to fit.
BristolEcho
Well-Known Member
Exactly. Just be open to it from the start.
I thought it was someone wanting to make a complaint, but now it's even more clear.
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