Ciarán Cuffe
Ceist:203 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Health and Children the costs incurred when providing cigarettes to psychiatric patients in the past year. [26918/03]
Written Answers. - Tobacco Products.
The information requested by the Deputy is not routinely collected by my Department.
The Inspector of Mental Hospitals recommended in his 2001 report that the practice in some services of distributing tobacco products from stores or ward stock to patients, and the payment of cigarettes in lieu of cash, should be discontinued. In 2001 the inspector also issued a circular to all mental health service providers recommending, inter alia, the provision of the necessary assistance, support and encouragement for patients to cut down on the consumption of nicotine.