I attended an interesting meeting this week at EmporiaState as the Student Government at the University starts the process to make the ESU campus Tobacco-Free.
Tobacco-Free would be a big step up from the current policy that prohibits smoking “in all University facilities, enclosed areas, public places including but not limited to stadiums and recreational areas, public meetings, places of employment, and access points of all buildings and facilities not exempted by law. Smoking is prohibited by the University within 30 feet of all buildings and facilities.”
Ft.Hays and PittsburgState have already implemented such a policy with good results. All other Board of Regent’s universities are reportedly considering this change.
As a starter ASG (ESU’s Student government) circulated a survey about a possible change to Tobacco-Free for EmporiaState. Thirteen hundred surveys were returned with 70% indicating they favor such a change.
Kansas has been smoke free since July of 2010 with good results. Recent reports indicate fewer smokers in the state and decreases in heart attacks and other smoking related illnesses.
A Tobacco-Free Campus would prohibit smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco anywhere on the property. E-Cigarettes would likely be banned as well.
The greatest push back when Ft.Hays and PittState implemented their Tobacco-Free plans came from faculty and staff.
The silver lining for those people might be resports of such restriction often being a catalyst to help people quit smoking. Along that line there was discussion of help to quit smoking programs along with implementation of this idea at Emporia State.
The students of ESU are commended for being pro-active in making their environment safer and healthier.
