Fall 2015
Committee:
Legislative Affairs Committee
Whereas, in the United States of America tobacco use is responsible for about one in five deaths annually (i.e., about 443,000 deaths per year, and an estimated 49,000 of these tobacco-related deaths are the result of secondhand smoke exposure)1; and
Whereas, the Environmental Protection Agency has designated secondhand smoke to be a Group A carcinogen, where there is sufficient evidence that the substance causes cancer in humans and the Surgeon General has established that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure to people with and without medical conditions such as asthma, allergies, and other chronic illness experience worsening health outcomes as a result of smoke exposure3; and
Whereas, tobacco smoke outside of campus buildings can be drawn in through ventilation intakes and/or open doors and windows, and students, staff, faculty and guests should be able to walk through campus and enter their respective buildings free of exposure to tobacco smoke.2 To date 1,577 colleges and universities in the United States alone have become tobacco or smoke-free campuses5; and 100% smoke-free campus policies have been shown to be an effective intervention in reducing tobacco use among college students6; smoking remnants litter campus building entrances and increases the amount of time, labor and costs spent cleaning and,
Whereas, this tobacco-free policy also applies to the use of e-cigarettes and other aerosolized nicotine or tobacco products also known as “electronic nicotine delivery systems or ENDS”. “In extensive, the American Lung Association called on the Obama Administration to finalize this regulation so that all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, can be subject to basic FDA oversight”.
Resolved that Student Senate of the California Community Colleges (hereinafter referred to as SSCCC) endorse that all California Community Colleges to explore adopting smoking areas (with minimal student body foot traffic) or smoke and tobacco-free policies for all its campuses. "Tobacco-Free" is defined as the the use of cigarettes, pipes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, Snus, and other tobacco products.
Resolved, that this tobacco-free policy also applies to the use of e-cigarettes and other aerosolized nicotine or tobacco products.
Resolved, that SSCCC advocates that smoking cessation programs be widely available to students, staff, and faculty. The issue of implementation and enforcement should be addressed at the local community college level with respect and concern for student financial well-being.
Resolved, that all students, faculty, and staff share in the responsibility for adhering to and making this policy successful.
Citation: 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking ¬ — 50 Years of Progress A Report of the Surgeon General. US Centers Dis Control Prev. 2014. 2. Zeise L, Dunn A, Donald J, et al. Respiratory health effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. Calif Environ Prot Agency. 2003;8(2):131-139. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18815714. 3. Services H. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke A Report of the Surgeon General. 4. Sawdey M, Lindsay RP, Novotny TE. Smoke-free college campuses: no ifs, ands or toxic butts. Tob Control. 2011;20. 5. American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation. Smokefree and Tobacco - Free U . S . and Tribal Colleges and Universities. 2014. http://www.no-smoke.org/pdf/smokefreecollegesuniversities.pdf. 6. Seo D, Macy J, Torabi M, Middlestadt S. The effect of a smoke-free campus policy on college students’ smoking behaviors and attitude. Prev Med (Baltim). 2011;(53):347-352. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.07.015. 7. Stakeholder Letter: Regulation of E-Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products, April
25, 2011, http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/publichealthfocus/ucm252360.htm
Center for Tobacco Products and Center for Drug Evaluation and Research,
“Stakeholder Letter: Regulation of E Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products,”
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, April 25, 2011, accessed 2014 8. America Lung Association Statement on E-Cigarettes http://www.lung.org/our- initiatives/tobacco/oversight-and-regulation/statement-on-e-cigarettes.html American Lung Association Letter to the FDA
http://www.lung.org/assets/documents/advocacy-archive/comments-to-fda-from-partners.pdf
Whereas, the Environmental Protection Agency has designated secondhand smoke to be a Group A carcinogen, where there is sufficient evidence that the substance causes cancer in humans and the Surgeon General has established that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure to people with and without medical conditions such as asthma, allergies, and other chronic illness experience worsening health outcomes as a result of smoke exposure3; and
Whereas, tobacco smoke outside of campus buildings can be drawn in through ventilation intakes and/or open doors and windows, and students, staff, faculty and guests should be able to walk through campus and enter their respective buildings free of exposure to tobacco smoke.2 To date 1,577 colleges and universities in the United States alone have become tobacco or smoke-free campuses5; and 100% smoke-free campus policies have been shown to be an effective intervention in reducing tobacco use among college students6; smoking remnants litter campus building entrances and increases the amount of time, labor and costs spent cleaning and,
Whereas, this tobacco-free policy also applies to the use of e-cigarettes and other aerosolized nicotine or tobacco products also known as “electronic nicotine delivery systems or ENDS”. “In extensive, the American Lung Association called on the Obama Administration to finalize this regulation so that all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, can be subject to basic FDA oversight”.
Resolved that Student Senate of the California Community Colleges (hereinafter referred to as SSCCC) endorse that all California Community Colleges to explore adopting smoking areas (with minimal student body foot traffic) or smoke and tobacco-free policies for all its campuses. "Tobacco-Free" is defined as the the use of cigarettes, pipes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, Snus, and other tobacco products.
Resolved, that this tobacco-free policy also applies to the use of e-cigarettes and other aerosolized nicotine or tobacco products.
Resolved, that SSCCC advocates that smoking cessation programs be widely available to students, staff, and faculty. The issue of implementation and enforcement should be addressed at the local community college level with respect and concern for student financial well-being.
Resolved, that all students, faculty, and staff share in the responsibility for adhering to and making this policy successful.
Citation: 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking ¬ — 50 Years of Progress A Report of the Surgeon General. US Centers Dis Control Prev. 2014. 2. Zeise L, Dunn A, Donald J, et al. Respiratory health effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. Calif Environ Prot Agency. 2003;8(2):131-139. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18815714. 3. Services H. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke A Report of the Surgeon General. 4. Sawdey M, Lindsay RP, Novotny TE. Smoke-free college campuses: no ifs, ands or toxic butts. Tob Control. 2011;20. 5. American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation. Smokefree and Tobacco - Free U . S . and Tribal Colleges and Universities. 2014. http://www.no-smoke.org/pdf/smokefreecollegesuniversities.pdf. 6. Seo D, Macy J, Torabi M, Middlestadt S. The effect of a smoke-free campus policy on college students’ smoking behaviors and attitude. Prev Med (Baltim). 2011;(53):347-352. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.07.015. 7. Stakeholder Letter: Regulation of E-Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products, April
25, 2011, http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/publichealthfocus/ucm252360.htm
Center for Tobacco Products and Center for Drug Evaluation and Research,
“Stakeholder Letter: Regulation of E Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products,”
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, April 25, 2011, accessed 2014 8. America Lung Association Statement on E-Cigarettes http://www.lung.org/our- initiatives/tobacco/oversight-and-regulation/statement-on-e-cigarettes.html American Lung Association Letter to the FDA
http://www.lung.org/assets/documents/advocacy-archive/comments-to-fda-from-partners.pdf