Bristol Hospital recently made a formal request to have a city road that runs through its grounds declared a no-smoking zone.
Hospital President Kurt Barwis asked the city to have Newell Road – the primary entrance for its emergency room, medical office building and Connecticut Spine and Pain Center – designated as smoke-free under a new law Bristol passed last summer.
Barwis said that having the street made into a no-smoking zone would be “the last step in allowing us to change over the entire hospital campus as smoke-free,” a move it began in 2008.
City officials said they plan to ask the Hearings and Assessment Committee to look into the request and make a recommendation to the City Council. Little opposition is expected.
The city’s new ordinance, which hasn’t been used yet, allows it to designate public streets and sidewalks as no-smoking zones, except where state law dictates otherwise.
The law was passed to accommodate the hospital, officials said. They said they’re skeptical anyone else will follow suit with a request soon.
Barwis said the point of going smoke-free at the hospital is to “enhance the overall environment of Bristol Hospital” and to “protect and improve the health” of its workers and patients.
A hearing on the issue will likely be scheduled within a month or two, officials said, and a council decision is likely as early as January 12, though it may well take longer
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
12 comments:
Mt. Sinai in Hartford has a similar smoking ban. They painted the street curbs blue all around the hospital property and paking lots and marked it as "Tobacco Free Zone". I don't support smoking, but this is taking it a bit too far.
everytime i drive by bristol hospital i always see employees smoking on the grounds. people are going to do it where and when they want to.
DONT HAVE TO LOSE SLEEP NOTHING WILL GET DONE. MOST OF THE COUNCIL TRYING TO GET THERE GEDS.
"MOST OF THE COUNCIL TRYING TO GET THERE GEDS."
That will certainly give them a HUGE edge over you!
Forgive my ignorance,"GEDS?"
10:52 We are so lucky to have you watch over us. Thank you. Maybe you could guide our city leaders.
9:18 - Suck it up.
Tim thank you for being the blog scholar. You should be a teacher. Maybe you could start tutoring the city FATHERS. Your always corecting them anonymously.
Maybe Steve could set up the GAMACHE and COCKAYNE hour and you both could show your intelligence.Show us how to bring BRISTOL back.
Tim, forgive ALL your ignorance, or just some of it?
Tim: "GED" as in high school diploma equivalency.
Tim probality taught it was the name of a new scotch.
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