38 U.S.C. § 1715: Tobacco for hospitalized veterans

The Secretary may furnish tobacco to veterans receiving hospital or domiciliary care. a suitable indoor area in which patients or residents may smoke and which is ventilated in a manner that, to the maximum extent feasible, prevents smoke from entering other areas of the facility; or is detached from the facility; is accessible to patients or residents of the facility; and has appropriate heating and air conditioning; and provides access to an area established and maintained under paragraph (1), consistent with medical requirements and limitations, for patients or residents of the facility who are receiving care or services and who desire to smoke tobacco products. A Department facility referred to in subsection (a) is any Department of Veterans Affairs medical center, nursing home, or domiciliary care facility. the cost of, and a proposed schedule for, the establishment of such an area at each Department facility covered by this section; the extent to which the ventilating system of each facility is adequate to ensure that use of the area for smoking does not result in health problems for other patients or residents of the facility; and the effect of the establishment and maintenance of an area for smoking in each facility on the accreditation score issued for the facility by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Organizations. Not later than 120 days after the effective date of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the committees referred to in paragraph (1) a report on the implementation of this section. The report shall include a description of the actions taken at each covered facility to ensure compliance with this section. The requirement to establish and maintain areas for smoking under subsection (a) shall take effect 60 days after the date on which the Comptroller General submits to the committees referred to in subsection (c)(1) that report required under that subsection.”