While at a Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) facility, I was experiencing active seizures and severe neurological distress. During this period, I unknowingly entered an area where people were smoking. The smoke was overwhelming. I gagged, struggled to breathe, and barely managed to escape. The exposure significantly interfered with my physical recovery, causing respiratory distress at a time when my body was already under extreme strain.

While cigarette smoke was not a direct trigger for my seizures, it worsened my physical condition, increased stress on my body, and made recovery more difficult. In a neurological or psychiatric emergency, patients may have limited ability to recognize or avoid poorly marked hazards.

At this facility, smoking areas were marked only by dark, poorly defined black boxes, which are extremely difficult to distinguish—especially for neurodivergent, autistic, and neurologically vulnerable individuals, and especially during medical crises.

Why This Is Especially Dangerous in CPEP Settings
I was at CPEP because of neurological issues involving seizures, not because I was unaware or disconnected from reality. I was fully conscious the entire time—aware of my surroundings, smells, and sounds—but scared, overstimulated, and uninformed. No one explained where I was or what was happening.

The presence of smoke in a psychiatric emergency setting increased my anxiety, worsened my breathing, and prolonged my physical recovery. Psychiatric emergency facilities should not expose medically vulnerable patients to preventable environmental stressors.

A Simple, Reasonable Solution
We are not asking for a ban on smoking.

We are asking for clear, accessible, and highly visible markings for smoking areas—especially in or near psychiatric emergency facilities. A simple repainting solution—half black on top and half red on the bottom—would provide an immediate visual warning. Red is a universally recognized danger color and helps people identify areas they should avoid, even during confusion or sensory overload.

This change would:

Reduce respiratory distress and recovery complications
Protect people with epilepsy, asthma, PTSD, and sensory sensitivities
Prevent accidental exposure to secondhand smoke
Improve safety without removing smoking accommodations
Psychiatric Emergency Facilities Need Reform
After CPEP, I was transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital, where I received better, more appropriate care. Even while sedated, my body was responding to my environment, and the setting felt safer and more controlled.

Psychiatric emergency facilities should stabilize patients, not increase fear or physical harm. Clear environmental safety standards are a basic part of humane care.

Call to Action
We call on New York State health authorities and hospital administrators to:

• Require high-visibility, standardized markings for smoking areas
• Consider neurological and respiratory vulnerability in facility design
• Improve environmental safety in psychiatric emergency settings
• Mandate training for psychiatric staff on humane, medically informed treatment of seizure patients
• Ensure clear communication and respect for patients who are conscious but neurologically impaired 

Everyone deserves the right to breathe clean air and recover safely, especially during a medical or neurological crisis.

Please sign this petition to support safer psychiatric emergency care and clearly marked smoking zones across New York State.