A Member of the University of Maine System

Tobacco Free CampusLauri Sidelko

Director of Alcohol and Drug Education Programs

Overview: How did

we get to this point?

• As the state’s flagship campus, the University of Maine seeks to create a culture that promotes a safe and healthy environment to learn, work and live.

• A Tobacco Free campus is one part of a comprehensive effort to develop a culture of wellness by supporting fitness, health, nutrition, and disease prevention and control efforts.

Background and

Information

National

•Scientific evidence clearly shows the severe health consequences of tobacco use, secondary and tertiary effects.

• #1 cause of death is tobacco (400,000/year) followed by obesity (300,000/year) ~US Surgeon General 2001

•Over 350 campuses are going or are completely smoke or tobacco free.

State

•The State of Maine has changed laws and policies to increasingly prohibit tobacco use and distribution both inside and outside.

Overview: How did

we get to this point?

Campus History• Administration appointed Tobacco Free

Campus Committee (TFCC) and chairs in July of 2007

– Committee included employees, students, and community members

• The current policy is outdated, so the Tobacco Free Campus Committee was appointed to assess, educate and formulate a plan.

• The committee had regular meetings for almost two years to look at every aspect of becoming a tobacco free campus

Overview: How did

we get to this point?

• Additionally, chairs met with departmental leadership, UM System personnel, student organizations, and alumni

• Met with 49 campus groups, some multiple times with over 500 participants

• TFC was covered in the Maine Campus, BDN, WMEB, UMaine Forum and local TV stations

• TFCC had conference call consultations with 5 other universities regarding best practices and lessons learned

University Offices Administration and Finance, Elaine Clark, Associate VP

Office of Admissions, Sharon Oliver, Director and staff

Auxiliary Services, Robin Toderian, Assistant VP

Office of International Programs, Karen Boucias, Director

Public Safety, Noel March, Chief of Public Safety

Athletic Department, Blake James, Director of Athletics

Cooperative Extension, John Rebar, Executive Director

MCA/ Collins Center for the Arts, John Patches, Director, and Adele Atkins

Conference Services, Bruce Stinson, Director

University Relations, Joe Carr, Director

Office of Equal Opportunity, Karen Kemble

Director Human Resources, Steve Weinberger, Assistant VP

UnionsUnions (AFUM/COLT, UMPSA

Union representatives Steve Weinberger, HR

Teamsters Matt Troxel, Campus Representative

Carl Guignard, Secretary-Treasurer

Teamsters Local 340

Dennis Corson, HR

Academic GroupsNatural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture, Al Kezis, Associate Dean

Mathematics and Statistics, Bill Bray, Chair and Professor

Engineering Chet Rock, Associate Dean

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Amy Fried, Dean

Honors College, Emily Cain, Coordinator

School of Business, Ivan Manev, Associate Dean

College of Educ. and Human Development, OJ Logue, Assoc. Dean

Division of Lifelong Learning, Bob White, Dean

Alumni GroupsUMaine Alumni Association

Todd Saucier, President and Executive Director

Employee and Faculty GroupsProfessional Employee Advisory Council

Classified Employee Advisory Council

Athletic Advisory Board

Faculty Senate Environment Committee, Stephanie Welcomer, Chair, Dan Belknap, Member

University of Maine SystemUMS Office of University Counsel, Kelley Wiltbank, University

Counsel

UMS Office of Labor Relations, Anna O’Connell, Coordinator

Student GroupsGeneral Student Senate (x3)

Residents on Campus (ROC)

Graduate Student Government

Nursing Students

Student Ambassadors

Resident Assistants

Student Athletic Advisory Committee

International Student Assoc.

Wilde Stein

All Sports Teams (19 meetings)

Interfraternity Council

Panhellenic Council

Commuter Students

NSFA Student Cooperative

WMEB

Why Should UMaine Become Tobacco

Free?

Employees

Smoking leads to employee absenteeism and higher health care and medical insurance costs for institutions and individuals in the population served (Tobacco Control, 2001)

Only 5% of smokers start after age 24, a major reason tobacco companies target young adults in their marketing (RJ Reynolds internal doc.)

28% of college smokers began to smoke regularly at or after age 19, when most were already in college. Half had tried unsuccessfully to quit in the previous year (American Cancer Society)

Students

Health Effects of

Tobacco Use

Research & Facts

• Tobacco use is a global public health priority: it is the second major cause of death in the world (World Health Organization)

• Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the US.

• Tobacco-related disease accounts for an estimated 438,000 deaths, or nearly one of every 5 deaths, each year in the US. Including the approximately 38,000 deaths from secondhand smoke exposure.

Health Effects of

Tobacco Use

Research & Facts

• In Maine, there are approximately 2,200 smoking related deaths per year.

• Nicotine, the addictive ingredient in tobacco, is as addictive as heroin.

• Among current U.S. adult smokers, 70% say they want to quit.

Health Effects of

Tobacco Use

Research & Facts

• There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke (Surgeon General, 2006)

• Secondhand smoke exposure

– Effects cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer

– causes disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke

– contains more than 50 cancer-causing chemicals and has been classified as a known human carcinogen

– can be as harmful outdoors as indoors

– increases the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and severe asthma in children.

Tobacco Use

Statistics Tobacco’s Toll in Maine• 16% of high school students smoke.

• 1,900 students under 18 become new daily smokers each year.

• $602 million: annual health care costs in Maine directly caused by smoking

• Healthy ME 2010 Report:

- 1/3 of youth who experiment with tobacco will become addicted.

- 1/3 of youth who smoke will die a tobacco-related death.

UMaine Statistics:• In a 2005 survey, about 9% of employees were

smokers.

• In a 2007 survey, 6.1% of students reported use of cigarettes everyday. About 0.9% use smokeless tobacco.

• In a 2008 survey, 82.8% of students report they have never used cigarettes, cigars or smokeless tobacco.

Laws and Policies

Maine law prohibits smoking in the following:

• restaurants, including outdoor eating areas;

• bars;

• beano and bingo halls;

• movie theaters;

• malls;

• vehicles with children;

• daycare facilities, including home-based daycare; and

• state parks and public beaches.

Maine law also prohibits smoking in workplaces•Employer must have written policy to protect the employer and employees from second-hand smoke.

•If there is a designated smoking area, it must be enclosed and ventilated.

•Employers must supervise the implementation of the policy, and risk a fine of up to $100 per day if they do not comply."Workplace Smoking Act of 1985," 22 §1580-A.

•Employees are prohibited from smoking in a company vehicle or in their private vehicle during work, whenever other employees are present, or another person is in the vehicle for work-related reasons. "Workplace Smoking Act of 1985," 22 §1580-A; Department of Health and Human Services CMR 10-144, Chapter 250.

•Smoking is prohibited in a motor vehicle by the operator or a passenger when a person who has not attained 16 years of age is present in the motor vehicle, regardless of whether the motor vehicle's windows are open. 22 MRSA §1549(1).

Laws and Policies

University of Maine Policy:

•Prohibits smoking in university vehicles, buildings, and residence halls.

•Prohibits smoking within 20 feet of building entrances.

•Prohibits sale of tobacco products on campus.

Laws and Policies

Proposed Tobacco Free Policy

•Based on campus feedback, best practices, and overwhelming research and facts on the health concerns of tobacco use, the committee strongly recommends a tobacco free campus policy be implemented.

•The purpose of the TFC policy will be to reduce harm from tobacco and secondhand smoke, empower faculty, staff, and students to be tobacco free, reduce health insurance and health-care costs, and promote a healthy place to learn, work and live.

Laws and Policies

Proposed Tobacco Free Policy

•The University of Maine implements a tobacco free campus. Tobacco use is prohibited within university buildings, parking structures, walkways, arenas, in university vehicles, and on university owned or operated property at all UMaine sites.

•This policy applies to all administration, faculty, staff, students, contractors, vendors, and visitors at all UMaine sites.

•Implementation Timeline:

Year 3Enforcement of policy begins

Year 2Policy takes effect with voluntary compliance

Year 1Announcement

Laws and Policies

Compliance and

Enforcement

•Compliance with this policy is the shared responsibility of all members of the University of Maine community.

•TFC committee strongly recommended an enforcement policy for students, faculty and staff.

•Other campuses have chosen to use the conduct system for students, progressive discipline for employees, or a fine system for those who do not comply.

Resources

UMaine will provide free, accessible tobacco treatment on campus—and will publicize its availability.

Resources for Students:

• Alcohol and Drug Education Programs

• Cutler Health Center

• Maine Tobacco helpline

Resources for Faculty and Staff:

• HealthyU Employee Wellness Program

• 13 hours annually of release time to attend wellness programming to include education and cessation services

• Anthem health benefits

• Maine Tobacco helpline

• Other state and national resources to be distributed with the policy

Questions