The problem: Mercy General Hospital's new policy that prohibits smoking on its campus has one east Sacramento neighbor feeling burned.
Joanie Pope-Ferry has lived on 41st Street next to Mercy for more than 20 years. She said the new policy, which went into effect Jan. 1, has led to a big increase in the number of smokers showing up in front of her house.
Because she's allergic to cigarette smoke, she said the extra traffic prevents her from being able to open her windows.
"They made their hospital healthy and nonsmoking. How can they put their neighbor through this?" she asked.
The solution: Pope-Ferry wants the hospital to create a smoking zone elsewhere, and she wants hospital security to patrol the area and move the smokers.
Mercy officials said there's only so much they can do to regulate where people who visit or work at the J Street hospital go to smoke.
Spokeswoman Shelly King said officials have placed "no smoking" signs on a fence separating the hospital from Pope-Ferry's property and have scheduled an employee forum where they will tell their workers that "our neighbors are important to us and we want to make sure we refrain from doing anything that will be uncomfortable to our neighbors."
- Ryan Lillis
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