| The American Association of Community Colleges Policy Statement on Health and Wellness states: “Community colleges recognize the importance of health in learning, retention, productivity, and well-being of students, faculty, and staff alike… [and] should create an environment that supports health.” Tobacco-free campus policy supports health for students, employees and visitors by reducing their exposure to the health hazard of secondhand smoke. Tobacco-free policy prevents youth and young adults from initiating tobacco use, decreases tobacco use among current users, and helps smokers quit. This translates into increased student success as well as cost savings for the college from reduced maintenance and employee health care costs.
This page provides an overview of the rationale, trends, and support for tobacco-free college policy.
Consider these facts:
- Secondhand smoke contains more than 50 cancer-causing chemicals and many other toxins, including formaldehyde, cyanide, carbon monoxide and arsenic. The U.S. Surgeon General reports that there is no safe level of exposure.
- Secondhand smoke has been linked to lung cancer, lung disease, heart disease, and other cancers in nonsmoking adults, killing over 53,000 adults each year, including 800 Oregonians.
- In Oregon, tobacco causes more than five times as many deaths as motor vehicle accidents, suicide, AIDS and homicide combined. Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death in Oregon and the United States.
- Total annual economic costs in Oregon due to tobacco: $2 billion.
- 75% of smokers say that they want to quit.
The folllowing resources document the health hazards of tobacco and secondhand smoke:
Outdoor Tobacco Smoke Study - This study is the first published in-depth investigation of air pollution levels arising from outdoor smoking activity. ("Real-Time Measurement of Outdoor Tobacco Smoke Particles", published in the May 2007 issue of the Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association). The main finding is that levels of outdoor air pollution exposure can be substantial near an active smoker.
The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General (2006)
The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General (2004)
Surveys show that students want a learning environment free of secondhand smoke
- Oregon Community College students (surveyed May-June 2007): One-third reported being exposed to tobacco smoke on campus daily. Two-thirds said they would prefer to attend a smokefree campus. View the Executive Summary.
- Lane Community College students and employees (surveyed March-April 2008): One-fourth of respondents have experienced immediate health effects from secondhand smoke exposure, such as wheezing, coughing, or allergic reaction. 62% of students and 68% of employees said they would support LCC becoming tobacco-free. View survey results.
The American Lung Association of Oregon and the Oregon Public Health Division recommend that colleges adopt tobacco-free policies for the health of all members of the campus community. This is especially important for community members with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma who may experience immediate health affects when exposed to tobacco smoke on campus. The following lists other organizations recommending tobacco-free college policy, linked where applicable to letters of support.
Western Technical College Student Government – Letter to student government leaders about WTC’s experience going tobacco-free.
“It’s Time”, Community College Journal (2003) – Article by a health educator at Holyoke Community College calling for elimination of smoking from college campuses.
The American Lung Association of Oregon has created a national list of colleges and universities prohibiting tobacco use everywhere on campus. Here in the Pacific Northwest, Clark College became the first tobacco-free community college in January 2006. In 2007, there were only approximately 75 colleges and universities nationwide who were 100% tobacco-free. Today there are over 250 colleges and universities that are 100% tobacco-free!
National List of Tobacco-Free Colleges and Universities
In 2003, Ozarks Technical College in Missouri became one of the 100% first tobacco-free colleges in the U.S. One of the reasons for this policy was “the commitment to preparing our graduates for employment in what is clearly becoming a more smoke free work environment” (Ty Patterson, Center of Excellence for Tobacco-Free Campus Policy, Ozarks Technical College).
The Oregon Smokefree Workplace Law requires employers to maintain smokefree indoor environments and to prohibit smoking within 10 feet of building entrances, windows, and air intakes. An increasing number of public institutions and private employers prohibit tobacco use on their entire premises outdoors, including:
- K-12 schools campuses (mandated by state rule to be tobacco-free)
- All Oregon Department of Human Services properties
- Oregon Head Start Pre-Kindergarten premises (required to be tobacco-free by ODE policy)
- Hospitals and Health Systems (as part of the Step Up! Campaign)
- Asante Health System (Three Rivers Community Hospital, Rogue Valley Medical Center, Genesis Recovery Center, and Hearthstone)
- Columbia Memorial Hospital
- Mid-Columbia Medical Center
- Oregon Health & Science University
- Peace Health (Sacred Heart Medical Center, Cottage Grove, Peace Harbor Hospital)
- Salem Hospital (Salem Campus, West Valley Hospital)
- Samaritan Health Services (Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, Samaritan Albany General Hospital, Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital, Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital, and all affiliated clinics)
- Silverton Hospital
- St. Charles Medical Center (St. Charles and Mountain View Hospital)
- Businesses
Please contact us if you know of other employers who have 100% tobacco-free or smoke-free campus policies to add to this list.
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