TABLE 4.

Home oxygen in current smokers

Province	Recommandations
British Columbia	Smokers who do not comply with safety instructions will be at risk of having oxygen funding discontinued immediately and doctor notified. Home oxygen program will not provide client with funding after the second reported safety offence
Alberta	Supplier’s respiratory therapist “advise clients not to smoke when using oxygen” Home oxygen may be discontinued “if smoking habit endangers the safety of self or others. This must be documented on the file and the client’s physician informed”
Saskatchewan	No specific mention about smoking
Manitoba	“The client and/or caregiver(s) agree(s) to adhere to safe practices relative to delivery of oxygen therapy. There should be no smoking, heat source or open flames within 3 meters (10 feet) of oxygen.”
Ontario	“The applicant’s medical condition must be stabilized and treatment regimen optimized before home oxygen therapy is considered. Optimum treatment includes smoking cessation.”
Quebec	Long-term oxygen therapy is not indicated in patients with severe hypoxemia who are current smokers In patients who stopped smoking only recently, 4 weeks of observation should be considered to ascertain smoking cessation before oxygen therapy is started
New Brunswick	The individual has an optimal medical program (defined as the medical treatment that stabilizes/reduces symptoms as much as possible and should include smoking cessation) in effect at the time of medical assessment for home oxygen therapy
Nova Scotia	An applicant is not eligible if he or she is a smoker An applicant is not eligible if he or she refuses to sign a nonsmoking agreement or, in the case of pediatric clients, if the parent or guardian refuses to sign a non-smoking agreement Clients who are in receipt of home oxygen services and who are determined to be noncompliant with no smoking requirements, will have funding for the service discontinued for a minimum period of 3 months
Prince Edward Island	Patients must certify that “there is no smoking allowed within my home or apartment”