You Don’t Always Die From Tobacco

By: Thomas RaimiLaura Trescott

Tina KakishBen Phillips

IntroductionThe Problem

Regardless of the state wide ban of smoking within twenty five feet of buildings is not being addressed.

Nonsmokers are not provided with a clean path into high-density buildings (i.e. Student Center and the UGL)

Second hand smoke is a health concern.

Introduction Conclusion of Recommendations by using

• Student surveys• The student senate• Research on how to implement a smoke-free environment• Working examples from other smoke-free campuses

including Wayne State’s own prestigious medical campus.

How it will happenPetitionsDesignated smoking areas Enforceability

Criteria Enforceability

Who and how will the policy be enforced concern for human rights of all Wayne State

University membersDesignated smoking locations will be provided.

Research MethodsSurvey of studentsComparison research to other universitiesEvaluation of the Michigan smoking ban

Second Hand Smoke (SHS)Second hand smoke is produced from the burning

tobacco from the end of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe.SHS is also referred to as “passive smoking” and

“involuntary smoking”There are two forms of second hand smoke

Side stream smoke- smoke that comes from the end of a burning cigarette

Mainstream smoke- smoke that is exhaled by a smoker

Side stream smoke contains a higher concentration of cancer causing agents compared to mainstream smoke.

Tobacco smoke contains more than 250 chemicals that are harmful to humansAt least 69 are known to cause cancer

EPA, NIH, and the Surgeon General The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified

second hand smoke as a Group A carcinogen under their carcinogen assessment guidelines.Group A carcinogens is reserved only for the

compounds that have been shown to cause cancer in humans.

In 2000, the National Institute of Health (NIH) formerly listed SHS as a known human carcinogen.

In 2000, the Surgeon General increased the number of known carcinogens in tobacco smoke to 69.

Effects of Second Hand SmokeAccording to the American Cancer Society

Website second hand smoke causes harm to Americans in the U.S. in multiple ways:There are an estimated 46,000 deaths from

heart disease among current non-smokers.There are an estimated 3,400 deaths among

non-smokers from lung cancer.Up to a million children have some form of

asthma related problem as a result of SHS.According to the Surgeon General even brief

exposures of SHS can have adverse effects on a non-smokers health.

The Surgeon General’s ReportChildren exposed to SHS are at an increased

risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and severe asthma.

On average, children are exposed to more second hand smoke than non-smoking adults.

The Surgeon General’s ReportExposure to second hand smoke can result in

more health problems: SHS can immediately affect the heart, blood vessels,

and blood circulation Leads to heart disease, strokes, and heart attacks.

Higher chance of getting respiratory infections Can cause and trigger acute respiratory effects

Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breathContains chemicals that can irritate and damage the

lining of airways.Can inhibit antibody responses contributing to

impaired immune responses.

Where Second Hand Smoke is a ProblemThe workplaceAt homeEntrances to public buildingsIn the car

In California, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Maine, smoking in a car with children (between the age of 6-18 depending on the state), is prohibited and will result in a fine.

Michigan’s Smoking BanEffective May 1, 2010All businesses serving food must be smoke-

free According to the Michigan Department of

Community Health, all indoor and outdoor locations where food and Drink are served must be smoke-free

Violators will be ticketedComplains concerning noncompliant facilities

can be reported to local Health Departments

Policies of other UniversitiesUniversity of Michigan

Implemented on July 1, 2011

No police enforcementNo ticketsSmoking is allowed in

private vehiclesStrategic use of signage

University of Texas at Austin

Implemented on April 9, 2012

“Temporary tobacco use locations have been established, but will only be available through Feb. 28, 2013.” (CBSsports.com)

Faced the loss of research funding from the Cancer Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)

How Wayne State Medical Campus Banned smoking

• Student senate petition of 1300 signatures for a complete smoking ban

• Approval by the Provost• Designated Cadet to remind people they are

in a non-smoking area

Is this really a problem?A survey was conducted to determine if it is

really a problem on Wayne State University’s main campus

Concentrated on buildings that have smokers at the entrances

Results of survey…

SurveyNon-Smokers

Smokers

ResultsThe overall percentile for both groups of people is 83.3% saying yes to

smoking is a health hazard.Question three was designed to determine if smokers would be

interested in quitting, and 33.3% said yes they would be interested in quitting. This proves that smokers are interested in becoming non-smokers.

Question 4 collected opinions on the smoking ban, and 71.1% of students in both groups would be for the smoking ban. Notice that even some smokers are for this ban.

Since The United States is a free country we wanted to see if people think a ban of such would be a violation to people’s rights and 43.9% say yes. This specific question allows us to design a ban that would satisfy people’s constitutional rights and ban only certain areas of campus.

Question 6 gives another view to constitutional rights, and 85.1% of students say it is not fair for students to have to walk through smoke to enter buildings.

Since there is a current smoking law we wondered if anybody follows it and 81.6% of students believe that it is not being followed.

The last question strictly for smokers determined only 51.9% of smokers follow the current law.

Conclusion of resultsThis problem exists for students on Wayne

State University’s Main Campus for both smokers and non-smokers.

In order to take action many obstacles need to be considered…

Possible Solutions

United States is a free country . Smokers should be able to smoke if they chose to. However, non-smokers shouldn’t be forced to walk through smoke polluted areas to enter buildings.

Provide smoking areas to eliminate smoke in highly populated areas

Compare to enforcement at the Wayne State Medical Campus

Notification of policy prior to taking action Police Enforcement with ticketsPetition for approval

Map of designated smoking areas

Notifying Students• Countdown signs in

every building starting 2 weeks ahead, notifying the date this policy becomes effective.

• E-mail notification to students and staff of the policy and consequences for disobeying the policy.

• Put non-smoking signs in designated areas when the policy takes effect.

EnforcementWithout enforcement the new policy would be

meaningless.Wayne State police provide a designated officer

during each shift strictly enforcing this policy for the first few months.

This officer will give $15 tickets to those smoking in non smoking areas.

Strict enforcement and ticket administration will discourage individuals from smoking, and cause them to reconsider their actions

Petition Creating petition form to gather signatures of

those who are for the non-smoking policy.Minimum goal of 1300 signatures (which is

what the medical campus was approved with)Give the petition to student senate who will

then approach the Wayne State Provost.

Works Cited Gray, Lena. “RE: University of Michigan’s smoke free policy.” Laura Trescott. 9 April

2012. E-Mail. Hamilton, Reeve. With Billions in Grant Money, Leverage to Curb Smoking. The Texas

Tribune, 18 February 2012. Web. 19 March 2012. Jesse, David. If you're going to light up, don't do it at U-M. Detroit Free Press.

ProQuest, 12 June 2011. Web. 16 February 2012. McCurtis, James. MDCH Releases Smoke-Free Air Law Complaint Survey. Michigan

Department of Community Health, 2010. Web. 27 February 2012. McCurtis, James. One Year Later: Michigan’s Smoke Free Law Helps Reduce

Exposure to Secondhand Smoke. State of Michigan Department of Community Health, 27 April 2011. Web. 28 February 2012

UT adopts tobacco-free policy. Texas Longhorns. CBSsports.com College Network, 13 April 2012. Web. 14 April 2012.

The University of Texas at Austin Revised Handbook of Operating Procedures. University of Texas at Austin, 2012. Web. 14 April 2012.

"Secondhand Smoke." American Cancer Society. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. <http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/secondhand-smoke>.

"Smoke-free Homes and Cars." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. <http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/healtheffects.html>.

United States. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Surgeon General. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General, 2006. Print.

• "School of Medicine." Prognosis E-News. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. http://prognosis.med.wayne.edu/article/school-of-medicine-goes-smokefree-july-7.

• "Personnel and Contact Information - Police Department - Wayne State University." Wayne State Police. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. http://police.wayne.edu/contact.php.

• "Contact Us - Office of the Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs - Wayne State University." Welcome. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. http://provost.wayne.edu/contact.php.