A tobacco-free campus remains an option
Discussions bring speakers from tobacco-free institution, American Lung Association
Taryn Ackelson
Issue date: 2/12/09 Section: News
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"My goals were for the discussion to be informational and to open an dialogue," Employee Wellness Program Instructor Wendy Simmons said.
Simmons estimated that around 30 people attended the discussion. Attendees ranged from individuals who support a smokeless campus and those who believe they have a "right" to use tobacco products on LCC property.
Andrew Epstein, school policy manager for the American Lung Association in Oregon, spoke at the discussion "Tobacco-Free Campus Policy in Oregon." As workplaces become increasingly tobacco free, students expect tobacco-free learning environments, Epstein reported.
Epstein presented that the Oregon Tobacco-Free College Initiative is working to build local and statewide partnerships as research, education and advocacy develops to aid in creating healthier environments for students and staff.
Ty Patterson of Ozarks Technical College presented the example of his tobacco-free institution, made up of 11,000 students and 1,000 full- and part-time employees.
After August 2003, when OTC joined the few 100-percent tobacco-free institutions in the United States, the Center of Excellence for Tobacco-Free Campus Policy was created in 2004 to aid interested colleges in establishing similar policies. As director of the center, Patterson travels to discuss and conduct workshops on how campuses can accomplish the same feat. Over 120 colleges have since adopted similar practices.
LCC removed several designated smoking areas from Main Campus prior to Fall term 2008. Locations were moved toward to perimeter of campus in an effort to keep secondhand smoke away from building main entries, building vents and passersby.
"In 2007, we surveyed a small sample of tobacco-free institutions, mostly community colleges. None of the institutions that responded reported a decline in anticipated enrollment," Patterson reported at the discussion. OTC continues to survey tobacco-free colleges.
Information on OTC can be found at http://otc.edu/about/tobaccofree.php.
Portland Community College plans to go tobacco free in September 2009 as part of the New PCC Health Initiative. September 2008 saw PCC restrict smoking to designated areas only, as a step toward removing tobacco from campus.
The University of Oregon has recommended that a senate of employees will vote in March to determine whether the campus should ban smoking and tobacco. Simmons believes this may help promote a smoke-free environment at LCC, as UO acts as a role model of standards expected of the many LCC transfer students. "More and more places are going tobacco free," Simmons said.
The Torch reported in the Sept. 25, 2008 issue that initial discussions on LCC becoming a smoke-free campus arose years ago following student complaints and research that showed secondhand smoke to be detrimental to non-smokers and students who had recently quit smoking, or are in the process of cessation. In 2008, a campus-wide survey showed that a slight majority of LCC students would favor a smoke-free campus, if smoking cessation services were offered at low or no cost.
Simmons said she has been thanked for the removal of some smoking areas around the Center Building. She has also received feedback that some areas should still be moved, or that current locations are not placed in "the best of locations."
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Bus stop second hand smoker
posted 2/13/09 @ 7:23 AM PST
There are still people at the bus stop who think that it is a designated smokeing area, it is not. I would think adults that smoke tobacco products to be more considerate of the campus policy and have some social responsiblity about this issue. (Continued…)
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