Tobacco Use on Campus

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Tobacco Use on Campus

• Recommendations for Policy Revision
• Spring 2008

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Tobacco Use and Cancer

• If everyone stopped smoking it would be
  tantamount to a vaccine against 1/3 of cancer
  deaths. (Presidents Cancer Panel, 2006-07).
• Half of all long-term smokers will die
  prematurely from a tobacco related disease half
  of these will die in middle age.
• More than 80 of adult smokers became addicted as
  teenagers.

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Smoking Initiation Among College Students

• A significant percentage of students initiate use
  or transition to regular use during their college
  years (McKee et al, 2004)
• 37 of college students initiated smoking within
  4 years 25 progressed their smoking behavior
  over the 4 years
• (Choi et.al., 2003)
• Smoking is the 1 predictor of illicit drug and
  alcohol use

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Factors Influencing Initiation

• Number of college friends who smoke peer
  pressure.
• Weekend exposure to smoke.
• Exposure to others who model smoking behavior.
• (Ridner, 2005 Morrison,et al, 2003)

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Smoking Cessation Efforts In the College
Population

• Approximately 70 of smokers express an interest
  in quitting
• Substantial numbers of college students are
  trying to stop
• 82 of students who had ever smoked daily had
  tried to quit (Everett et al, 1999)
• 18 had made 5 or more attempts to quit (Weschler
  et al, 1998)

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Evidenced-based Methods to Reduce Initiation and
Facilitate Cessation

• Change in Social Norms
• Students from China and Taiwan reported reducing
  tobacco use or quitting altogether (Hsia
  Spruijt-Metz, 2003)
• Restrictive policies
• Reduce smoking participation among college
  students (Chaloupka Wechsler, 1997)
• Quantity of cigarettes consumed is lowered by
  restrictions on public smoking (Czart et al,
  2001)
• Education and peer support
• Treatment - pharmacologic and behavioral

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Environmental Impact

• Filters
• are made of cellulose acetate tow which takes
  over ten years to decompose.
• release harmful chemicals into the environment
  and the water supply.
• Littered cigarette butts are unsightly and
  negatively impact community aesthetics.

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Feedback From Campus Constituencies - Spring 2007

• Consensus that policy should be enforced.
• Designated smoking areas were acceptable.
• A totally smoke free campus was not supported by
  the majority of undergraduate and graduate
  students.
• Staff Council voted to support a smoke free
  campus policy.
• Faculty Senate discussed but no vote on smoke
  free policy.

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Local Benchmarking

• UPMC
• Trained security personnel on policy and approach
  to violators.
• Provided incentives/support to smokers trying to
  quit.
• Experienced little push back from employees and
  have not had to issue citations.

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Local Benchmarking

• Carlow University
• Designated smoking areas as of 2007.
• Population has been compliant.
• Warnings but no citations.
• Pitt
• Taking steps to place greater restrictions on
  smoking.
• Goal is to become a smoke free campus at some
  point in the future.

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National Benchmarking

• Currently at least 105 colleges and universities
  that have enacted 100 smoke free campus
  policies.
• Carnegie Mellon is one of at least 320 that have
  enacted smoke free residential housing policies.

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Goals of Policy Recommendations

• Eliminate exposure of non-smokers to
  environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
• Decrease initiation of smoking in first year
  students.
• Support individual efforts to stop smoking.
• Reduce the economic and environmental impact of
  littering on campus grounds with cigarette butts.

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Current Policy

• Prohibits smoking within 20 feet of any entrance
  to any Carnegie Mellon facility, air intake, or
  where posted.

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Policy Recommendation

• Smoking is permitted only in areas specifically
  designated and posted as smoking areas.
• Smoke free zones include The Mall, The Cut,
  Gesling Stadium, Tennis Courts and Campus School,
  Cyert Center and Student Health Services.

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Recommendations (cont)

• Persons smoking in designated areas are expected
  to dispose of cigarette butts in the receptacles
  located in the designated areas.

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Compliance

• The policy will be enforced by Campus Police
  through a system of warnings and fines for
  smoking and littering grounds with cigarette
  butts.

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Implementation

• Policy would be effective Fall 2008.
• Prior to implementation
• Campus-wide educational campaign (website
  development)
• Campus Police training
• Investigation/implementation of incentives for
  smoking cessation treatment through partnership
  with insurance carriers.

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Estimated Costs

• Signage 2000
• Marketing 4000

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