It was RMC at the time, it is no longer RMC, and is now owned and operated by Covenant.

What they did in the past is a bell that can't be un-rung. Covenant is part of the group of hospitals - which included all hospitals in the greater Knoxville area - that just last week announced thay are becoming smoke free campuses o all their facilities - either downtown or extended satellite facilities. Employees have till Jan 2011 to become non-users of tobacco. Actually, they are becoming tobacco free, not just smoke free.

Whether they follow through and ban tobacco use in what are now patient/family smoking areas remains to be seen. But employees, visitors, and vendors will be held to the policy of refraining from tobacco use in the buildings or on the grounds. Including parking areas. If it's part of their campus, tobacco use will be banned.

$20,000 is a drop in the bucket. They'll spend way more than that on the tobacco cessation classes, counseling, and products they will make available to their employees.

The $20K was spent years ago. That was then. This is now. Get over it.

It has nothing to do with sight in this community. It has to do with the perceived differences in taking care of needs of then versus now. Every hospital in all the concerned hospital systems had spent money on smoking convenience facilities for either employees or patients or both in the past. None of them are doing it any longer. They are going the oposite direction. They're all in the same boat, and RMC is no exception. It is not indicative of any particular ignorance or anything else at RMC as opposed to the other hospitals. It is simply the changing times. As the Raven said: "Only this, and nothing more." As I said, the then RMC did nothing more or less than the other hospitals in the region have done.

It's a non-issue.

RB

Will employees be able to sit in their car and smoke? While I agree with having respect for non-smokers, this whole thing has gone wild. Are they going to forbid employees to not drink alcohol at any time. Certainly I agree with them not drinking while on the job, or being under the influence while working, but what about their time off. Eventually this will happen. Chip, chip, chip...the great "THEY" know what is better for everyone and will control every aspect of one's life.

I can't believe they spent $20,000 on that little shack. I mean, have you seen it? Somebody made some bucks off of that little project.

Pat Hughes Kerschieter
Class of 1966

I know that patients and visitors in the Knoxville area will still be able to smoke at the hospitals. It is only the employees who are banned. Chattanooga took it a step further and will not hire anyone who uses tobacco products, i.e., cigarettes, snuff, chewing tobacco, at least the Knoxville hospitals are still going to hire these people, just not let them use tobacco on premises. Chattanooga is giving them a "drug" test before they are hired to make sure that they use no tobacco. I can't see how they can prevent you from smoking in your car, as this is your private property. IF you keep the windows rolled up. Even the police can't search your car if they stop you without a warrent, I think that them saying you can't smoke in your car is taking waaaay too far! As for the little $20,000 bldg, patients and visitors can still use it. I would assume.

The reality is that our society has finally realized that non-smokers have a right not to be forced to breath the second hand smoke of others. In my opinion it is about time. Why should the proclaimed rights of smokers trump the rights of non-smokers. Contrary to what some people think, smoking is a privileged and not a right. The health of the majority, non-smokers, should not be jeopardized by second hand smoke because a few think they should be allowed to smoke anywhere they want.

I agree that what you do on you own property or in your car should be your business.

I also agree that maybe money was wasted on building the smoking area at the hospital no matter when it was, or what it cost. But that is water over the dam. It's time to take a step in the right direction and stopping smoking near the hospital is a good one. It is a sign of the times. Apparently that decision has been made and it's time to quit crying about it.

The hospitals are not the first to implement rules on smoking. The State of Tennessee offices now do not allow smoking within 50 feet of the doors going into the buildings. Also state workers will be required to pay higher premiums for their insurance if they choose to smoke. The state is providing assistance in many different ways to help those who choose to quit and giving them a year or more to do so before the higher premiums go into effect. I agree with this requirement. It is only fair that smokers, who are more prone to have more cancers, heart disease and other ailments, that ultimately costs more to treat, be required to pay more to help offset those additional costs.

We will see this more and more as time goes by and in my opinion it is good that we are finally starting to realize what a dangerous habit smoking really is.