Smoking Policy

To support the health and safety of our patients, visitors, and employees, smoking and the use of tobacco products (including electronic cigarette devices, smokeless tobacco, etc.) is prohibited inside any facility or structure that is part of the Memorial Health System (Marietta Memorial Hospital and Selby General Hospital). In addition, smoking is prohibited in any hospital owned/leased vehicles and tobacco products are prohibited from being sold inside any hospital owned/leased building. Smoking and tobacco product usage will be restricted to designated outdoor areas only.

Designated Smoking Areas

1. To prevent smoke from entering the building, smoking must occur at least fifteen (15) feet away from any entry door. “No smoking” signage will be posted at all entrances to the hospital in accordance with Ohio law.
2. Smoking is not prohibited within fifty-feet (50) of any gas storage tanks, liquid oxygen tanks, compressors, or air intake equipment.

Due to the safety concern of an open flame near any fuel or oxygen tanks, individuals may not light up a cigarette, etc. until reaching a designated smoking area.

Metal containers with lids for ash disposal are located in designated smoking areas.
Designated smoking areas will be clearly marked.
The use of tobacco products are permitted in the following designated areas:
1. Marietta Memorial Hospital:
  1. areas with picnic tables and benches on the west side of the building
  2. outside the emergency department
  3. emergency department parking lot
2. Selby General Hospital:
  1. Wooden deck area outside of the ground floor
3. Off-Site Locations:
  1. Belpre behind the building near the dumpster (dumpster located outside of the buildings 799, 805, 807)
  2. Broughton building behind the building at the end of the wrap-around parking lot near the dumpster
  3. Reno building main parking lot entrance, right side of parking lot, smoking hut
  4. Wayne Street locations – picnic tables located behind 802 and 799 buildings.
  5. All other off-site locations vary but will have designated smoking areas clearly marked.

Visitors

1. Any employee that observes a patient or visitor smoking in an undesignated are will immediate and in a courteous manner explain that smoking in not permitted in non-designated areas. The individual will be directed to the nearest smoking area.
2. Any visitor who repeatedly violates the hospital smoking policy will be asked to leave the premises.

In instances where the patient/visitor persist with violations of smoking in undesignated area, any employee is to direct this issue through their proper chain of command. Security may also be contacted in these circumstances.

Patients

At the time admission, any patient identified as a tobacco product user will be informed of the hospital smoking policy and offered a nicotine replacement based upon a physician order.
If the patient declines a nicotine replacement and requests to leave the unit to go outside to smoke, the patient will be required to sign an Against Medical Advice (AMA) form stating that they understand they are leaving the unit to smoke against the advice of the medical staff.

Hospital staff is not required to accompany the patient outside to smoke; it is recommend that if the patient has a visitor that they accompany the patient as indicated.

The patient should be educated that they will be requested to notify the nursing staff on the unit prior to leaving the unit to smoke and upon their return.