Toronto - Today at Queen's Park, Jim Wilson, MPP revealed that a Windsor hospital is handing out cigarettes to patients. Hotel-Dieu Grace confirmed with the Ontario PC Caucus that they distribute cigarettes to get patients into the Emergency Room.
This is just another example of what has gone wrong in Dalton McGuinty’s Ontario, where Ontario families struggle to get front line healthcare, outreach patients are getting cigarettes to be lured into the ER. Earlier this month, the PC Caucus revealed that patients in Mississauga were being treated in an oil stained ambulance garage.
Wilson called on Dalton McGuinty to root out how many Ontario hospitals are handing out cigarettes to patients and immediately stop this practice. After the Ontario PC Caucus uncovered this disturbing practice, the hospital stopped the practice earlier this month.
QUOTES:
“Today, we are calling on Dalton McGuinty to root out how many Ontario hospitals are handing out cigarettes to patients – how much of it is contraband – and to clearly and decisively stop it from happening ever again.” --Jim Wilson, MPP
“Our position is clear: hospital staff should not be spending their time handing out cigarettes to patients.” --Jim Wilson, MPP
QUICK FACTS:
Until November 4th, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor handed out cigarettes to people on the street to get them to visit the ER.
The hospital’s CEO says “it is not an unusual practice” for hospitals to handout cigarettes.
Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga recently confirmed to the Ontario PC Caucus that it has housed patients in its ambulance garage. Photographs revealed leaves, oil stains and dust on the garage floor.
According to the Ministry of Health, the burden of tobacco use on Ontarians and our health care system is more than $1 billion every year.
