"Health Care Providers Who Smoke" (Viewpoint, June 2010) raises a point that should be of significant concern to health professionals-practicing what they preach. It seems particularly problematic that medical professionals may smoke while on hospital grounds. After all, these same people conduct the tests that demonstrate how unhealthy-deadly even-smoking can be. They care for patients who are ill because of smoking and provide smoking cessation services.

Health care professionals have the opportunity to send a strong message to patients, and this shouldn't be, "Don't smoke, but look the other way if I do."

Andrea S. Nicholson, RN

Boston