Creighton to implement campus-wide tobacco ban

Creighton students, faculty and staff wanting to grab a quick smoke between classes will have a difficult choice to make starting next month: go without or leave campus.Starting July 1, Creighton University will go tobacco-free, completely banning tobacco use from all university facilities and property. The only exception will be university-approved research involving tobacco use.

Director of Public Relations Deb Daley said The Cardiac Center at Creighton University had gone smoke free with "a positive experience." Between the known health risks and the recent passage of the Nebraska Clean Indoor Air Act, LB 395, Daley said the university made up its mind to transition to a tobacco-free environment.

"It's going very well," said Syed Mohiuddin, the chairman of the university's Tobacco-Free Task Force. "About two, two and half years ago, I proposed to Father Schlegel we ought to have the entire campus be tobacco free. We did have the existing policies which made the inside the buildings smoke free, but outside the buildings people were allowed to smoke, and I thought it would be better for the health of everybody."

Rev. John Schlegel, Creighton's president, announced in November that Mohiuddin would lead a group of students, faculty and representatives of different sections and facilities to develop and implement a university-wide tobacco policy, Daley said.

Daley said the university wanted a lot of time to make the transition, and initially the policy will focus on informing campus community members of the new rules and support services available, including a Commit to Quit program free for faculty. Special events and a Web site for students are also planned.

"I think we had an anticipation that a lot of staff would be really negative toward this but we actually found quite the opposite," Daley said.

Student had concerns about the ban focused on enforcement, which has been the crux of debate in UNO's Student Senate regarding support for a similar ban. Mohiuddin said some groups wanted strict rules from the beginning while others wanted more time for education.

Next year, once the ban has been in place, Mohiuddin said infractions would be reported to a supervisor or dean. First offense ,would receive warning, but subsequent offences would likely accrue penalties, which would be established next year.

For more information on Creighton's anti-tobacco policy, visit tobaccofree.creighton.edu.

Creighton ban fits growing trend

UNO Director of Student Health Services Marcia Adler said Creighton's ban is part of a larger trend of universities going tobacco free.

"We're late doing it," Alder said. "It's a trend that's coming."

The City of Omaha passed a partial smoking ban in June 2006 that banned smoking in public places except for stand-alone bars, Horseman's Park and keno establishments.

Omaha's ban followed a stricter complete ban by the City of Lincoln, which went into effect in January 2005.

With Nebraska's passage of LB 395, public places statewide will go smoke-free in June 2009, with tobacco shops, some hotel rooms, some laboratories and business in private homes, other than licensed child care facilities being the only exceptions.

On May 30, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the exemptions were unconstitutional since they did not take the health of employees at exempted businesses into account. It was expected that the entirety of Omaha would be smoke free by June 30.

Other universities across the nation have been implementing smoking bans as well. Mohiuddin said Eastern Michigan University, for instance, has been smoke free for five years.

Eastern Michigan's policy, however, is not as strict as Creighton: tobacco use is permitted outside, 25 feet from any building entrance, air intake duct or window, according to the university's Web site. Tobacco is also banned in outdoor areas where seating is available and university vehicles are located.

UNO ban faces enforcement, political problems

Legislation calling for smoking bans have been considered several times by UNO's student government, most recently this spring. A proposal by former Sen. Holly Byers would have sought to establish eight "free smoking" zones across campus as part of a compromised ban. Senators first sent the resolution back to committee then voted it down on April 10, citing concerns about a lack of student input.

"Smoking has not been that big of an issue," said Vice President Buey Ray Tut during the meeting. "For us to agitate something that's not an issue, it's just going to erode our authority. It's just going to erode our influence among students."

Smoking has been an issue, however, in previous student government administrations. In February 2006, former President/Regent Steve Massara sponsored a forum in the Fireplace Lounge to discuss a proposal to ban smoking on campus.

When former President/Regent Alex Williams entered office that October there were three referendum questions on smoking.

Out of 1,483 students voting, 926 (62 percent) favored a campus-wide ban.

Additionally, 1,008 (68 percent) favored a ban on the main corridor of campus - one similar to Byers' proposal this spring - and 1,057 (71 percent) favored a ban at the Criss Library's south walkway.

The library, with approval from the Chancellor's Cabinet, eventually enacted such a ban. Library Dean Steve Shorb has stated the ban is a success, despite the lack of any enforcement mechanism.

Enforcement has come up time and time again as a bone of contention among pro- and anti-ban supporters on campus.

In fall 2004, the Faculty Senate considered a smoking ban drafted by associate professor Andris Skreija, which was motivated in part by the lack of enforcement of the 10-foot rule regarding smoking in front of public buildings. Ultimately, that effort, like subsequent efforts by student government, failed.