I have a question on behalf of a friend. Is smoking allowed in a home that has someone using oxygen. Thanks in advance for your input.
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jac493
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Hi 
I would think that if someone was in need of oxygen then smoking near them for health reasons alone, should not happen let alone the inflammable aspect.
Ignoring the health issues (too contentious), think about this. Most people using oxygen have a sedentary lifestyle, either through mobility problems or to do with breathlessness. Not all of the oxygen supplied is breathed in, and being slightly heavier than air tends to settle around the patient. This saturates the clothing, bedding and upholstery with oxygen seriously increasing the fire risk. So --- NO!! Smoking around oxygen users is a bad idea. If the visitor really needs to smoke, it's no big deal for them to go outside for a few minutes.
breathe easy
johnwr
Thankyou for your reply. My friend has a neighbour who smokes in the house whilst her husband is on oxygen and it causes her great concern.
I hope your friend lives in a detached house. I would not want to be living next to an oxygen rich atmosphere filled building where people are striking matches, flicking lighters, let alone walking around with a fag on.
Obviously she is keen to see her husband off. Even if she does not incinerate him she is going to hasten his demise by increasing his lung damage with her smoke. Unbelievable.
It's a block of flats. That is why I posted here first to arm her with correct information so she can take action with the local housing authority. The said smoker, smokes in the back bedroom but i was pretty sure it is not right to do this.
Definitely not a sensible thing at all. The oxygen rich atmosphere will still inhabit that room. Being replenished every time that the door is opened. It is crazy and could even result in the patient having their Home Oxygen withdrawn. Most certainly informing the housing auth is the correct thing to do.
Please tell them its bonkers to smoke around those using O2. Even if smoking didn't cause the O2 user's condition in the first place, it certainly won't help it, and as above, it might just end up frying them both. Its a no-brainer, your friend is right to be concerned. If her neighbour cares about her husband at all she will preferably quit or at least smoke outdoors.
Another thought: a fire where oxygen ignited due to cigarette smoking would probably invalidate their insurance 
I thin Jac's question asking whether it was safe to smoke around oxygen and not having a go at the smoker! I have a friend who is on oxygen and at one time was smoking (she has given it up now) and her consultant knew this. She said it was quite safe as long as the lit cigarette didn't come into contact with the cylinder so a few feet distance is a good idea. After all the oxygen is going into the patients lungs and not into the general air. Smoking in another room is also safe. x
O2Trees in reply to
Maybe I'm just having a gut reaction Cough. But i would have thought it would be the outlet, i.e. cannula or mask that the cig should be kept away from. Also, unless the oxygen user has a conserver, continuous flow will mean loads of extra unused oxygen will go into the general atmosphere.
nhs.uk/Conditions/home-oxyg...
Quote:
'Is it safe to use oxygen at home?
YES. However, you must use it safely. Oxygen is a fire hazard. Follow safety measures to keep you and your family/carers safe.
Never smoke or let anyone else smoke while you are using oxygen. Put up no smoking signs, and be aware of people smoking near you if you are using your oxygen outside of your home.
Keep oxygen at least six feet (two metres) away from flames or heat sources such as gas cookers, paraffin or gas heaters, candles, cigarettes, cigars and fireplaces.
Do not use flammable products, such as cleaning fluid, paint thinner, petroleum based creams or aerosols, while you are using oxygen.
Keep a fire extinguisher at home within easy reach. . . .'
sorry I had to laugh that you asked this question
When we first had oxygen at home the advice was. No smoking, no candles,no open fires, Bulpit
It still amazes me how ridiculously stupid and selfish some people can be!D. 
never smoke if there is oxygen in the home!
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