NEKUŘÁCKÝ KON CEPT PSYCHIATRIE VÚSTŘEDNÍ VOJENSKÉ NEMOCNICI V PRAZE.

Tobacco use is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. The prevalence of tobacco smoking is significantly higher among patients undergoing psychiatric treatment compared to the general population. Despite clear evidence of positive effects resulting from the cessation of smoking in patients receiving mental health treatment, quitting smoking still remains a controversial issue among specialists. In 2018, Military University Hospital Prague introduced a pilot fully non-smoking environment at the acute psychiatric care department. Part of this concept is a complex ban on tobacco use during hospitalization (including new forms of tobacco and nicotine products). The project proved to be viable, it doesn't significantly complicate the course of hospitalization and the acute psychiatric care department is already permanently in a non-smoking regime. All support is available to patients to bridging the period when they can't smoke. Because smoking cessation has an impact on the plasma concentrations of some psychopharmaceuticals, monitoring is established in teamwork with a clinical pharmacist. At the same time, the smoking cessation in psychiatric treatment is full of many myths that still prevent professionals from introducing non-smoking environments. The aim of this article is to contribute to a further discussion on the spread of non-smoking policy in psychiatric and addictology workplaces. Three years of experience from the psychiatric ward in Military University Hospital Prague show that it is possible to implement and adhere to it without negative consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]