RESTATEMENT: Highly Illegal Tobacco Sales By Staff: Call to Arms.

(2014) The following article was published in this blog in mid-2012, not long after my discharge from The Arizona State Hospital. No one specific issue relating to grossly corrupt mismanagement of the ASH facility more disturbs me more than the fact that for time immemorial, some proportion of ASH staff have engaged in smuggling illegal/regulated substances onto the Hospital grounds, which these staff then distribute such contraband to ASH's seriously mentally ill and disabled patients. Such staff do this at shockingly disproportionate profit (to the tune of $1000 per carton of cigarettes, for example), in order to grossly exploit the vulnerability those patients at ASH who are addicted to tobacco, and other like substances. This occurs on a daily basis in blatant defiance of state and federal law, and is in fact 100% in violation of Hospital/ADHS policy; with the willful complicity of ASH administrators/senior clinicians;  as well as highly entrusted state public heath care officials, such as ADHS Director Will Humble, who regularly touts the status and conditions at ASH as a "smoke free" environment. I have published several very critical articles (beyond this one) about this specific issue. And as illustrated below, I have always been willing to rely upon and/or support those ASH staff who agree with my concerns as they apply in this context. Patient abuse of any kind is highly illegal and sickening the conscience, and exploitation in this context is abuse in all senses.

FLASHBACK JUNE 2012

Highly Illegal Tobacco Sales By Staff: Call to Arms.

TO ASH STAFF: THESE MOST RECENT ARTICLES MAY SET A CHAIN OF EVENTS INTO MOTION, WHEREBY ACCUSATIONS OF WRONGDOING WILL BE DEFLECTED AWAY FROM ASH ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS AND LAID LIKE A TON OF BRICKS ONTO THE SHOULDERS OF LOWER RANKING ASH STAFF. DON'T LET THOSE ASSHOLES GET WAY WITH IT! DO THE RIGHT THING NOW, AND COME FORWARD WITH YOUR OWN TESTIMONY ABOUT ANY AWARENESS YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE HIGHER RANKING STAFF. REPORT THIS MATTER TO THE APPLICABLE STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES NOW, AND DO NOT HESITATE TO DEMAND THAT YOUR RESPECTIVE RIGHTS IN THIS CONTEXT BE DUTIFULLY PROTECTED. BETTER YET, BUT ONLY IF NECESSARY, SUE THE RAT BASTARDS, BECAUSE YOUR BOSSES HAVE BEEN CRIMINALLY SUBJECTING YOU TO THIS ISSUE FOR TIME IMMEMORIAL. IT HAS TO STOP SOMEWHERE, AND YOU CAN BE PART OF THE LONG OVERDUE CHANGES SPECIFIC TO THIS ISSUE NOW. IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO DO THE RIGHT THING, RIGHT? GET INVOLVED, PLEASE. 
       THE UNITED STATES TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU IS A GREAT PLACE TO START:

Tobacco Diversion

If you suspect illegal activity regarding the diversion of tobacco products or cigarette papers or tubes outside the legal distribution chain, please contact the TTBIntelligenceDivision. 

For information on the Federal laws that apply to the unlawful transportation, shipment, or sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products, please refer to Industry Circular 99-2, or contact the Intelligence Division.

The Intelligence Division can be reached by:

Phone: 1-202-453-2173.

E-mail: ttbtobacco@ttb.gov

Mail:
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
Attn: Intelligence Division, Room 200-W
1310 G Street, NW., Box 12
Washington, DC  20005

AND JUST AS A REMINDER OF BOTH YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS STAFF AT ASH, , AND MOST IMPORTANT TO ME, YOUR RIGHTS, HERE IS THE SOME STATE LAW THAT GRANTS YOU SUCH, AS WELL AS HOSPITAL'S POLICY ON THIS ISSUE. GIVE ADHS DIRECTOR WILL HUMBLE HIMSELF A CALL, BECAUSE THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO GO WITH THIS KIND OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT AND THE ISSUE OF PROTECTING YOUR RIGHTS THAN THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.

  Arizona Revised Statutes (state law)

Title 36, Chapter 36; relating to smoking.

       G. NO EMPLOYER MAY DISCHARGE OR RETALIATE AGAINST AN EMPLOYEE BECAUSE THAT EMPLOYEE EXERCISED ANY RIGHTS AFFORDED BY THIS SECTION OR REPORTS OR ATTEMPTS TO PROSECUTE A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION.

Arizona Department of Health Services Smoking Policy

      Arizona State Hospital is completely Tobacco Free, for all patients, staff, contractors and visitors. Arizona State Hospital is committed to:

1. advocate a healthy tobacco free environment;
2. ensure a healthy, comfortable and safe environment for patients, visitors and staff;
3. provide leadership, example and guidance in health promotion.

It is the policy of Arizona State Hospital to maintain a 100% tobacco free-environment for the preservation and protection of the health of our patients, visitors, and our staff, as such, smoking and use of other tobacco products are prohibited on Arizona State Hospital property. 

IN CLOSING: This a time to shine. I know that plenty of the men and women working at The Arizona State Hospital have what it takes to get involved with these activities. At stake are the most fundamental aspects of all ASH patients well being in every sense, but you all deserve the best possible place to work because your jobs are critically important, and believe because I know, it is tough work. My hat has been off to you folks since day one, at the onset of nearly two full years of hospitalization, and while I like to believe I am capable of a lot of things, I couldn't what you all do. Thank you, and keep up the good work. We need you. 

UPDATE 2014: Imagine if you will. Seriously mentally ill and disabled adults who are affected by chronic addiction to substances as a direct result of hospital staff who supply an illegal flow of products such adults, who are deserving of optimum care that can hopefully bring about some semblance of recovery. Serious mental illness, more succinctly, aggravated by chronic addiction and all that implies, which in contemporary society is known to be a crucial factor underlying the causations/manifestation of mental illness across the board. I have no reason to believe that this issue has been in any way addressed by any body of authority that I know for a fact is required to respond to my concerns in this context. This includes the failure(s) of ASH administrators/senior staff clinicians, ADHS/BHS officials, or even the established Human Rights Committee at ASH, which was only implemented as per the letter of law after I directly communicated with ADHS Director Will Humble about the simple fact that there was no HRC at ASH during the entirety of my time as a patient there, circa Jan. 2010-Feb. 2012. It is that bad, all of it. Substandard medical-mental health care in Arizona's sole long term public mental facility that extends into all associated bodies of authority. Bottom Line. 

paoloreed@gmail.com