New No Smoking signs arrive at CAMH

By Hilary Caton

 The weather is finally beginning to warm up and CAMHers are making their way outside to enjoy the summer weather.

For those who will be strolling on the grounds of the Queen Street campus, you may notice a few new no smoking signs sprinkled around the property that say “No Smoking– Hospital Zone.”

The initiative was sparked by the Smoke-Free Ontario Act that forced all outdoor grounds of hospitals to be completely smoke-free  January  1, 2018.

“We want to communicate clearly that as with all other hospitals, CAMH is a smoke-free, recovery zone.  This includes all buildings and outdoor areas including parking lots,” says Bharati Singh, Manager, First Impressions, CAMH.

A tobacco-free hospital site eliminates powerful triggers for clients and staff who are trying to quit or to stay tobacco-free.

CAMH has also replaced the outdated “No smoking within nine metres of the entrance” signs on the building at 100 Lower Ossington to a new sign that simply states “No Smoking.”

To help promote CAMH being smoke-free, our community ambassadors will continue to educate and inform visitors and patients of the new policy and law. The property does have certain “hot spots” for smoking, says Bharati, but the hope is the new signs along with the Community Ambassadors walking around will help to mitigate the smoking.

“Community education and awareness from our perspective is about patient health and wellness,” says Community Ambassador Mark Watja.

“We do not stigmatize or shame anyone for smoking. But by not smoking they’re showing a leadership role by indirectly helping the health and welfare of our patients.”

To accommodate those who still wish to smoke, but can no longer do so onsite, they can move to Queen Street, which is city property and use one of the five Terracycle Canada cigarette butt recycling receptacles. They’re strategically placed at certain high traffic areas around the perimeter of the campus frequently used by smokers.  The butt bins will also help reduce cigarette butt litter around the property.

Two bins are located at Queen Street & Gordon Bell Road and Queen & Lower Ossington Avenue, while single recycle butt bins can be found on Shaw Street near the parking area and behind the 10 White Squirrel Way. by Sudbury Street.

“We are encouraging the use of the bins to reduce litter and to do our part in preventing harmful toxins from entering the natural environment,” Bharati adds.

“Cigarette filters are not biodegradable — they’re made from cellulose acetate and never lose their toxicity, creating a pervasive threat to fish, birds and other wildlife as also our water supply.”

They were initially introduced to the Queen Street campus last June as a pilot project that had three receptacles donated to CAMH from Councillor Mike Layton’s office.

When the receptacles are full, staff from  Out of This World Café empty them and ship the cigarette butts to a North Toronto-based TerraCycle Canada facility where the butts are recycled into plastic shipping pallets.

“By using the receptacles those who smoke can also be responsible neighbors in our community by not littering and help reducing cigarette waste toxicity in our environment,” Bharati said.

“We would like the CAMH community to be aware that CAMH is a tobacco-free recovery zone. The receptacles are provided as (part of) CAMH’s commitment to being a responsible and active member of the West Queen West community.”