Stamping Out Smoking — Even Outdoors

Inside Higher Education - September 25, 2008 - David Moltz

Despite its seemingly deliberate name, the recently enacted Pennsylvania Clear Indoor Air Act now bans outdoor smoking on the 14 campuses of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

The Clear Indoor Air Act, passed this summer and effective as of September 11, defines the public places in which the smoking ban applies as “an enclosed area which serves as a workplace, commercial establishment or an area where the public is invited or permitted.” The day before the state law took effect, the state system informed its almost 110,000 students and 12,000 employees via e-mail that — under its generous interpretation of the law — smoking would be banned absolutely everywhere on the state-owned campuses, including courtyards, parking lots and athletic fields.

Peter Garland, executive vice chancellor of the state system, said system officials believe the law applies to outdoor areas because of its stipulation that “public places” include “educational facilities.” It is more comprehensive, he said, to ban smoking at all places on campus than to determine specific places where, and circumstances under which, it should be allowed.

The law charges the state Department of Health with enforcement. Garland said, however, that the exact details of how the ban should be enforced on the system’s 14 campuses were still being determined. Although the law outlines multiple fines for violations — from $250 for a first offense to $1,000 for a third offense within a year — he said the primary focus of current enforcement was to educate the public about the ban and provide information about smoking cessation programs. Levying fines, he said, should neither be the first response to a violation nor the focus of enforcement at this early stage.

For the rest of the article by Inside Higher Education, September 25 - click here.

E-mail About Smoke Free Gallaudet Campus

From: Raylene Paludneviciene, faculty, Department of Psychology

To: Paul Kelly, Vice President of Administration and Finance; Gary Aller, Executive Director, Business Operations and Support Services

CC: Carolyn Stern, Student Health Services Doctor; Gwendolyn Francavillo, Coordinator of Wellness Programs;

Date: Fri, May 23, 2008 at 11:34 AM

Subject: Smoke-free campus

Hello, we wanted to check with you to see if it would be possible to create a smoke-free policy for the Gallaudet campus? The committee for a smoke-free campus was formed in the spring to investigate the possibility of this university becoming smoke-free due to the numerous benefits of being a smoke-free campus. The committee members are also available to help create this policy as well as the accompanying services (such as smoking cessation programs, etc). Please see our website: smokefreegallaudet.blogspot.com for more information. We are looking forward to working with the administration on this proposal,

--
Raylene Paludneviciene, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Gallaudet University

Thinking About Quitting Smoking?

Student Health Services provides smoking cessation information and counseling for Gallaudet community members who who want to quit smoking.

A Smoke Free Campus Wouldn't Have This

A recent storm upturned this cigarette butt disposal in front of Student Academic Center at Gallaudet.

World No Tobacco Day - May 31, 2008

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world. It is the only legal consumer product that kills one third to one half of those who use it as intended by its manufacturers, with its victims dying on average 15 years prematurely.

Approximately 1.8 billion young people (aged 10-24) live in our world today with more than 85% found in developing countries. Having survived the vulnerable childhood period, these young people are generally healthy.

However, as the tobacco industry intensifies its efforts to hook new, young and potentially life-long tobacco users, the health of a significant percentage of the world's youth is seriously threatened by their deadly products.

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance and child and adolescent experimentation can easily lead to a lifetime of tobacco dependence.

From World Health Organization, the host of the World No Tobacco Day:

http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2008/en/index.html

The Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking

From http://www.metrokc.gov/health/glbt/tobacco.htm

Smoking is a Personal Choice?

I can understand how secondhand smoke can be considered annoying, but is it really dangerous?
Yes. Secondhand smoke harms the health of those exposed to it. Secondhand smoke has been proven to cause lung cancer and heart disease, and has been linked to asthma and respiratory problems. Secondhand smoke has 4,000 chemicals, more than 50 of which are carcinogens.

What's wrong with smoking sections? Isn't that a good way to make everybody happy?
No. Smoking sections are misnomers. Smoke travels; it knows no boundaries. Having smoking sections is like have peeing and non-peeing sections in a swimming pool - it doesn't work. Like that yellow substance in the water, smoke circulates, and everybody is exposed to it.

Smoking is legal. Why don't you believe that smokers can smoke where they please?
People do not have the right to harm other people's health. Everyone has the right to breathe clean air.

What's next? Will people want to ban beer and fried foods?
Drinking beer and eating fatty foods are not comparable to smoking cigarettes. Drinking beer or eating fatty foods won't harm those around you; smoking will.

Sections adapted from Smoke-Free DC organization website: http://www.smokefreedc.org/faq.htm

More than 110 100% Smoke Free Campuses in USA

The American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation: Defending your right to breathe smokefree air since 1976 declares that:

As of April 1, 2008, there are at least 110 smoke free campuses with no exemptions.

As of April 1, 2008, there are at least 33 100% smokefree campuses with minor exemptions for remote outdoor areas.

Click here to download the .pdf of the complete release from the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation or copy and paste:
www.no-smoke.org/pdf/smokefreecollegesuniversities.pdf
in your browser.

Study Shows Youth Are Less Likely To Smoke In Towns With Strict Smoking Laws

From Washington Post Express, May 6, 2008, page 3.

Letter from "Deaf Doctor", Dr. Carolyn Stern

From: Carolyn Stern MD (Spanjer)
Date: Fri, Jan 18, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Subject: Smoke Free Gallaudet Campus
To: elaine.vance@gallaudet.edu


Dear Ms. Vance,

What can we do to make Gallaudet University a smoke-free campus?

Research has shown that where young people are exposed to smoke and smokers, the more likely they are to start smoking. And, the younger they start, the more likely they are to become addicted. Once addicted, it is much more difficult to quit.

Research has also shown that SMOKING CAUSES chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, and emphysema and is STRONGLY associated with heart disease, circulatory diseases, ulcers, and impairs developing fetuses.

Secondhand smoke increases a non-smoker's risk for heart disease, lung cancer, and worsens symptoms of adults already suffering from asthma, allergies or bronchitis.

Many Universities, Hospitals, and other locations have made the move to become smoke-free. Why not Gallaudet!

I feel Gallaudet should be completely smoke free because of the tremendous health benefits for the entire University community. There won't be any more cigarette butts lying around campus and receptacles don't need to be purchased.

Even more important, with Kendall School and Le Clerc Center (MSSD) on the same campus at Gallaudet University, I see even more of a reason NOW to enforce a smoke free campus for the health of our students at Gallaudet.

Respectfully,

Carolyn Stern MD

Family Physician
Gallaudet University
Student Health Services


Carolyn Stern MD (Spanjer)
CEO, DeafDOC.org
Physician, Rochester School for the Deaf
Physician, Gallaudet University
58 Eastland Avenue
Rochester, NY 14618
585.271.7004 Voice
585.241.9806 VP
585.271.3826 Fax
deafdoc@deafdoc.org
www.deafdoc.org

Invitation To Join Smoke-Free Gallaudet Committee

Hello all-

Would you be interested in being on the committee for a smoke-free campus? The aim of this committee is to see a smoke-free policy implemented at Gallaudet University. Our task might include some research on smoking bans at other universities, creating a vlog to garner support among students, staff and faculty on campus, and lobbying the administration. Comment below if you are interested in helping out, it is hoped that most of the work will be completed during the summer. Hope you can join us!

--
Raylene Paludneviciene, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Gallaudet University