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Smoking to be banned at hospitals

SMOKING will be banned from the grounds of hospitals and clinics from March next year. Health minister Jim Wells, pictured, yesterday announced that all the north's health trusts aim to be smoke-free within the next year.

The ban will apply to all patients, staff and visitors. The Western trust implemented its own smoking ban in March last year.

The 2007 smoking ban already bans smokers from lighting up in any enclosed public or work place. However, concerns have been raised about people smoking at the entrances to hospitals.

More than 300,000 people in the north are smokers. Mr Wells said smoking kills around 2,300 people in Northern Ireland every year and around a third of cancer deaths are linked to the habit.

"It is also a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, strokes and other diseases of the circulatory system and to treat smoking related illnesses in NI is costing in the region of £164 million each year," he said.

"The Western Trust led the way when it introduced a complete ban on smoking anywhere on its grounds or premises from No Smoking Day 2014.

"I am pleased, one year later, to be announcing that the same measures will apply across all HSC trusts in Northern Ireland by March 2016."

Mr Wells said people struggling to give up smoking can get nicotine replacement therapy and support from special stop smoking advisers.

"For those staff and patients who don't smoke, it is important that we protect them from exposure to second-hand smoke when they are on HSC Trust facilities," he said.

A similar ban has already been announced in the Republic. Smoking will be prohibited from all hospital sites in the Republic by the end of this year.