Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – This Your Stories Q&A centers on smoking near hospitals.
You've been wondering how much longer smokers will be allowed to light up so close to both University and Crouse Hospitals, and the answer is not much longer.
Delores from Mattydale e-mailed this one in. She went to the ER at University Hospital with her daughter a few days back, and on their way back to their car, they had to walk through a group of nurses smoking along Adams Street, near the front entrance to the hospital.
She knows there's a no smoking policy on the hospital campus, and wonders why it's not being enforced.
Well, in a few weeks, it will be. Hospital spokesman Darryl Geddes says because Adams Street falls just outside the hospital's jurisdiction, (it's actually within the city's control) enforcement has been an issue along the sidewalk.
But on November 1st, a new county law takes effect banning smoking within 100 feet of any hospital property -- and the law gives the hospital enforcement authority in that wider area.
Geddes says University and Crouse hospitals are working together right now on signs and pamphlets to let smokers know about the change. He says that educational effort, which also includes smoking cessation help for staff, will be pointed towards November 18th, the annual Great American Smokeout Day. And after that, the enforcement will begin.
Geddes says both hospitals have heard from a lot of non-smokers who've run the Adams Street smoking gauntlet. They know it's a nuisance, and after mid-November, it should be a thing of the past.
If you've got a question, call the Your Stories line at 446-9900, or e-mail yourstories@9wsyr.com.
