[The challenge of tobacco control at a university hospital]

To identify the actions taken by the Commission of Tobacco Control (CTC) to control smoking in the hospital environment.

Descriptive and exploratory retrospective documentary research conducted at a university hospital in southern Brazil, in 2014. The content of the minutes of CTC meetings was used to create a database, and the rounds reports were descriptively analyzed. We sought to identify the most relevant actions from 2005 to 2014.

The CTC implemented the Tobacco-Free Environment programme restricted cigarette smoking to designated areas and subsequently deactivated these areas. The only remaining outdoor smoking area in 2014 was deactivated.

CTC actions have contributed to tobacco control in the hospital environment. This study will hopefully serve as a model to encourage other institutions to implement similar actions.