Tobacco prevention in hospitals. The British experience.

There are three themes in this paper of interest to a UK audience. The first draws attention to the importance of congruity between the hospital environment and education about the harmfulness of smoking. A smoking policy is an integral part of the education process. Secondly, there are clear benefits to accrue from combining several educational elements in one smoking control programme, which has a synergistic effect. Thirdly, hospital staff are health promoters, too, and their training should reflect the importance of their public health role.