- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Comments sought on ANR tobacco-free policy
On Jan. 1, 2014, the use of cigarettes and all tobacco products will no longer be permitted on UC campuses and at properties owned or occupied by ANR. Employees are invited to comment on this policy until June 17.
UC President Mark Yudof charged all UC campuses to go smoke and tobacco-free by January 2014 to save lives and improve the health of our community. As a leader in environmental research, policy, practice and education, ANR has a responsibility to demonstrate leadership in reducing tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure for our students, faculty, staff, visitors and volunteers. This policy is about creating healthy environments for the thousands who learn, work, live and spend time in California. Cigarette butts are responsible for over a third of California’s litter.
This affects everyone on ANR property, including students, faculty, staff and visitors.
The policy covers the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco, as well as electronic cigarettes.
Tobacco use will be prohibited everywhere on UC campuses and at properties owned or occupied by ANR. There will be no designated smoking areas. Tobacco users are asked to be respectful of our neighbors and not congregate or litter on their property.
Enforcement will initially be educational. All students, faculty, staff and visitors are expected to abide by current policies.
All tobacco users who want to quit are encouraged to call the free California Smokers Helpline at 1-800-NO-BUTTS.
For details about the tobacco policy, visit http://ucanr.edu/sites/tobaccofree. Please send comments by June 17 to Robin Sanchez at rgsanchez@ucanr.edu.
I don't believe that this is an unfair thing to ask of the students, faculty, staff and visitors.
There are better ways to get people to quit using tobacco products than policies and enforcement. Tobacco use is down since it is socially less acceptable then before. Programs to quit have to be more effective than policies.
As written, this would seem to include all Research & Extension Centers. Is this correct? Charles Raguse
This ban cannot happen too soon!
Is this affirmative action at work? you tell me...
Obesity and the lack of exercise are far bigger health problems on UC campuses than secondhand smoke. Should the sale and consumption of fast food (e.g., burgers, pizza, soft drinks, etc.) also be prohibited because of their deleterious effects on the health of others? If this mindset was carried to an extreme, should all students, faculty, staff and visitors be first encouraged and then compelled to exercise for their own good?
I don’t know where the author lives, but in my experience her comment that ‘Cigarette butts are responsible for over a third of California’s litter’ sounds like an overreach that diminishes the force of her arguments in support of this policy.
And, thanks for the welcome repartee, Pamela Kan-Rice. Touché!
Too bad tobacco isn't good for you, since so many people obviously enjoy it so much. But there it is. Tobacco and its pal lung cancer took my father thirteen years ago, and most likely one or two people you've known too, and there's no bringing them back. For yourself, try the gum or the patch or acupuncture or hypnosis or whatever, and see if you can get by with just the memory or how it tasted and how it felt. Or watch old Brando or Bogie movies when you get the urge. Smoking always looked better in black and white anyway.