Nonsmoking policy in Danish hospices

Abstract

The Danish Smoke-free Environments Act 2007 aimed to prevent the harmful health effects of secondhand smoking. It requires employers to take practicable steps to ensure smoke-free environments for all, i.e. employees as well as members of the public (visitors, clients, customers, etc). Palliative care aims for a holistic approach that takes into account all aspects of patients' psychological, physical, and social needs. This may be challenged by a smoke-free policy in an end-of-life care setting. This paper looks at the concept of smoke-free standards in Danish end-of-life care settings.