PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - M Lavin
TI  - Let the patients smoke: a defence of a patient privilege.
AID  - 10.1136/jme.16.3.136
DP  - 1990 Sep 01
TA  - Journal of Medical Ethics
PG  - 136--140
VI  - 16
IP  - 3
4099  - http://jme.bmj.com/content/16/3/136.short
4100  - http://jme.bmj.com/content/16/3/136.full
SO  - J Med Ethics1990 Sep 01; 16
AB  - I examine two kinds of arguments in favour of imposing restrictions on smoking by hospitalised psychiatric patients. First, I look at patient-centered arguments in favour of restrictions. These arguments focus on the benefits that patients will receive if their smoking is stopped or curtailed. Second, I examine arguments that seek to justify restrictions by citing the costs that smokers impose on others. Neither kind of argument justifies any meaningful restrictions on the smoking of hospitalised psychiatric patients.