CCFT Weighs in on a Campus Smoking Ban

The Cabrillo Safety Committee is discussing possible changes to the college smoking policies, and as part of that discussion, the topic was raised at the last CCFT Council meeting on November 18th. If a smoking ban is enacted, students, employees, and visitors would have to leave campus to smoke. Findings so far from the campus committee were shared with the council, and a lively debate ensued. Afterwards, the council overwhelming passed a resolution in support of a smoke-free campus because of the long-term health effects of second-hand smoke, particularly on faculty and other employees who may be exposed for long periods. Other considerations were taken into account on both sides of the issue, including:

• The strong message our own ASCC Student Senate sent by its recent recommendations NOT to move towards a ban, based on a fairly broad student survey in which a significant majority of the mostly non-smoking respondents rejected the ban.
• Concerns about students recovering from much more dibilitating addictions who rely on cigarettes in their place.
• Questions about where students will go to smoke (the sidewalks of Soquel Drive? Twin Lakes Church? Porter Gulch?) and how to enforce the ban.
• The upcoming January, 2014 system-wide tobacco ban at the University of California, including chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes.
• A recent proposal by California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White and the CSU Academic Senate for a system-wide ban to take effect within a year.
• The growing numbers of California Community Colleges that have joined the ranks of non-smoking campuses nationwide.

As the college continues to consider the issue and how such a transition might take place, CCFT INVITES YOUR INPUT THROUGH AN ONLINE FACULTY SURVEY. Please respond to this survey by Friday, December 20th to register your perspective, your concerns, and any smoking-related issues that might be unique to your students or your location on campus.

For more information on smoke free campuses and related issues:

The California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN) (Founded in the late 1990s to develop policy advocacy programs to reduce the increasing number of smokers in college through education, treatment, and partnerships with campuses throughout the state and the military.)

Tobacco-Free College Campus Initiative (National initiative launched by the Obama administration in fall 2012).

by Eric Hoffman

and Michelle Chao