Student Health Advisory Committee

Tobacco Initiative

Faculty Senate MeetingOctober 2013

SHAC

• Founded in 2011

• Student organization to act as liaison with CHS

• Focuses on student health

• Determined tobacco to be a health concern at NAU

Preface

• We need your input!

• Some details need to be worked through

• Collaboration will be key

Why?

Our goal of a tobacco free policy at Northern Arizona University would:

1. provide a healthy and safe working and learning environment free from tobacco and secondhand smoke

2. protect the natural environment by reducing air pollution and litter associated with tobacco use.

We respect the rights of our students and staff to breathe clean air.

Achievement Timeline

• Fall 2011 • SHAC identifies tobacco as a significant health

concern for NAU students

• Spring 2012 • SHAC attends Tobacco Free Campus Policy

training• Tobacco subcommittee is formed• Tobacco Task Force established

•

Achievement Timeline

• Fall 2012 • Media campaign and education continued (GASO, Kick

Butts, Hookah education)• Tobacco survey for students and staff conducted

(N=484)

• Spring 2013• Presentations to student groups about tobacco free

campus• Over 500 petition signatures obtained • Presentations to SPAC and EMSA Directors• Meeting with President Haeger to discuss moving

forward with a tobacco free policy

Tobacco Free Nationwide

• Over 1,100 colleges and universities nationwide have implemented either a smoke free or tobacco free policy.

Tobacco Free Arizona

• ASU is tobacco free as of August 2013

• U of A’s Medical Campus is tobacco free

• Embry Riddle is tobacco free

• Maricopa County Community College is tobacco free (all campuses)

Tobacco Free Nationally

• Montana State University is tobacco free

• 9 out of the 15 universities with highest number of International Students are either smoke or tobacco free • University of Illinois @ Urbana Champaign• NYU• UCLA (all UC campuses)• University of Michigan Ann Arbor• The Ohio State University

Tobacco Use at NAU

• Only 11.4% of NAU students reported smoking cigarettes in the past 30 days.*

• While the perceived rate of cigarette use was 88.4%*

• Only 10.0% of NAU students reported smoking tobacco from a water pipe (hookah) in the past 30 days.*

• While the perceived rate of hookah use was 85.9%.*

*Information and data obtained from the NCHA-II Web Spring 2013 Northern Arizona University Executive Data Summary Report

Fall 2012 Survey

• Survey conducted in Fall 2012 Sent to all students via ASNAU email

Sent to all faculty and staff via Employee Wellness email

• 484 total respondents • 241 Students• 242 Faculty/Staff• 1 Visitor

• SHAC decided to pursue a tobacco free policy based on the feedback from the survey

Tobacco Free NAU

Health

• Tobacco continues to be the #1 preventable cause of premature death in the US.*

• Tobacco is detrimental to overall health and can lead to cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease among other serious illnesses.*

• Secondhand smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals. Hundreds are toxic and about 70 are known to cause cancer.*

*Centers of Disease Control and Prevention

Secondhand Smoke

According to the US Surgeon General:

There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke; even brief exposure can be harmful to health.*

Secondhand Smoke

• Concentrations of many cancer-causing and toxic chemicals are higher in secondhand smoke than in the smoke inhaled by smokers.*

• Exposure of adults to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer.*

*The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General.

Tobacco Free NAU

Yes No No Opinion0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%74.23%

22.22%

3.55%

Is second-hand smoke a concern or annoyance to you and others on campus?

Tobacco Free NAU

Green NAU• NAU takes pride in promoting a “green” campus to students, faculty and staff at the University.

•It is estimated that several trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide every year, making cigarette butts the number one littered item in America and the world.*

•Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate tow and can take decades to degrade.*

• A tobacco free campus would continue the tradition of a green campus and preserve the aesthetics of our campus.

*www.cigarettelitter.org

Tobacco Free NAU

Yes No No Opinion0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%73.52%

19.39%

7.09%

Do you think the Incorrect Disposal of Smoking Material like Cigarette Butts are a Problem on Campus?

Tobacco Free NAU

Student Success• Many employers are now screening applicants for

tobacco use and choosing to hire tobacco free employees, potentially limiting job prospects for our graduates.

• The Affordable Care Act has a provision allowing health insurance companies to charge up to 50% more for tobacco users.

Tobacco Free NAU

A Tobacco Free Policy would:• Protect the 88.6% of NAU students who

DO NOT use tobacco from the harms of secondhand smoke• Continue to promote and support a

Green NAU by eliminating toxins in the soil and remove litter associated with tobacco use• Graduate students who can

competitively enter the work force

Proposed Policy Draft

Purpose:

A tobacco free campus policy at Northern Arizona University will:

• Provide a healthy and safe learning and working environment free from tobacco and second-hand smoke

• Protect the natural environment by reducing air pollution and litter associated with tobacco use

Proposed Policy DraftPolicy: Northern Arizona University’s Flagstaff Campus is a tobacco free environment.

• Smoking and the use of all tobacco products, including those not approved by the FDA for cessation, is prohibited at all facilities and in vehicles owned operated or leased by Northern Arizona University on the Flagstaff campus. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookah, e-hookah, chew, snuff, cigars, pipes, etc.

• Smoking and the use of all tobacco products shall not be permitted in any enclosed space located on the Flagstaff campus.

• Smoking and the use of all tobacco products shall not be allowed outdoors on all NAU Flagstaff campus properties including parking lots and athletic facilities.

• This policy applies to all students, staff, faculty, contractors and visitors to the Flagstaff campus of NAU, regardless of the purpose for the visit.

Compliance Language Draft

Social Enforcement

All members of the University community will share the responsibility of adhering to and enforcing the policy.

The majority of other tobacco free policies reviewed by SHAC have been successful

using social enforcement.

Implementation Phase 1Education & Cessation Promotion:

November 2013 – May 2014 • Press release through the Office of Public Affairs • Educational presentations by SHAC and CHS staff• Create the Tobacco Free NAU Website with policy

information, cessation information, resources• Launch “Let’s Clear the Air” media campaign• Events sponsored by SHAC, County Health District

and Health Promotions to distribute policy information and cessation materials

• Offer free Fresh Start cessation classes for students, faculty and staff

• Enlist Medical and Counseling services to help promote the policy and cessation referrals during regular visits

Implementation Phase 2Awareness & Preparation:

January 2014 – May 2014• Continue to promote cessation services for students and staff • Create a countdown mechanism to be publically displayed• Work with facilities and grounds to plan for removal of

cigarette disposals • Create and display signage about ashtray removal• Educate students and staff about how to respectfully assist

with compliance.(SMOKE)• Distribute SMOKE cards to staff and students• Order smoke free campus signage to be displayed when the

policy is active• Policy to be distributed to all incoming students through

email and during orientation• Create map indicating tobacco free zones

Implementation Phase 3

Implement Policy:August 2014• Policy announcement to be made publicly• Smoke free campus signage to be widely

displayed across campus• Complete removal of all ashtrays and cigarette

disposals• Continue to educate students on SMOKE

acronym

SHAC’s Goal

SHAC would like to see a tobacco free policy for NAU fully implemented in Fall 2014.

Clarification

We are not:1. Suggesting that students or staff must stop

using tobacco

We do:

2. Respect individual rights to use tobacco off campus

3. Recognize how difficult it is to quit tobacco use

4. Want to help create a campus that fosters health and wellness

Discussion

• Thank you!

• Questions?