As some of you will know, over the years full smoking prohibition has been creeping its way into mental hospitals. We covered this creep from its first case in the United Kingdom in 2008 when Rampton Mental Hospital banned patients from smoking at all. Resident patients defending their human rights took their case all the way to the Court of Appeal, but very unfairly lost. This completely biased ruling set the precedent for full smoking prohibition. Now due to a demand from ‘Public Health England’ (PHE) and the ‘National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’ (NICE) NHS mental hospitals across the country have taken full advantage by completely banning smoking on their grounds, effectively forcing patients to quit against their will. This pointless and sadistic policy has also been fully encouraged by anti-smoking “charity” ASH and “mental health charity” Mind.
There is good news though. Just when the likes of ASH and so called mental health charity Mind thought they had got away with it, a new backlash has come about in the form of ‘Campaign against Smoking Bans in Psychiatric Units’ (CASBIPU). We fully back this campaign all the way because the issue of smoking is not just about choice and leisure; it is also about the human rights of a person knowing what’s best for them. While many smoke for enjoyment, many also smoke because it is therapeutic in alleviating anxiety, which is especially true concerning mental health issues. Obviously ASH absolutely hates the idea that tobacco is used as medication, as that truth would destroy their relentless crusade to get tobacco banned outright. ASH and Mind are desperately trying to argue the case “it’s for their own good”: not only is that insulting to those with mental health problems, it is also a completely pathetic argument in every sense.
Obviously this policy will greatly amplify patients’ symptoms on arrival to hospital, in turn keeping them locked up longer, further amplifying their symptoms. They will probably smoke twice as much when they get out, just to recover from the trauma. This will also lead to increased violence on wards and increase the chance of ward suicides. Understandably those suffering a mental breakdown will now avoid seeking help. Another interesting point is that in convention III, article 26 of the Geneva Convention it states “The use of tobacco shall be permitted” which means mental health inpatients are being treated worse than prisoners of war.
Moving onto Mind, they are a “charity” too big for their boots which instead of helping people with mental health issues bullies them, which is not surprising considering some of Mind’s origins stem from advocating eugenics. Ironically Mind with the slogan “For better mental health” promotes the Human Rights Act 1998 on its own website, which includes prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment, right to liberty and security, respect for your private life and family life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of expression and the right not to be discriminated against, but fail to mention it does not apply to them. They also state “Our policy work influences government so that people with mental health problems can get the support they need and the respect they deserve”. What Mind deserve, along with their allies, is an end to their government funding, a complete boycott from the general public, followed by their own incarceration.
Meanwhile we applaud SANE, a genuine mental health charity, for speaking out against this sadistic measure.
SANE Blog: The Madness of Banning Smoking in Psychiatric Units
So why should the general public be so concerned about this? If they can do it to innocent people who happen to have mental health problems, they can do it to you. ASH is just using this sadistic and evil experiment, to then bring it onto the masses. It is quite clear from this that ASH and their supporters want full tobacco prohibition at any cost and if they do get what they want, they will not stop there. It is said that, when you trade liberty for security you lose both, or liberty for health in this case. We have always been criticized for calling the anti-smoking movement a bunch of Health-Nazis, which is a bit unfair on them, as they are not really Health-Nazis, but just Nazis. The fact is, using the most vulnerable to experiment on against their will, does resemble eugenics. Let us not forget that the original Nazis were also very anti-smoking based on their eugenics program of building a super race. Even the modern anti-smoking movement has slipped up openly stating that smokers should be refused treatment and left to die, a Dr Mengele culture that is also resonating against drinkers and obese people. You can support CASBIPU by signing their petition linked at the bottom below.
Change.org Petition: Don’t Ban Smoking in Mental Health Facilities