Tobacco Ban In Full Effect
On the first day of class students will be given a friendly reminder to trash their tobacco products on campus. After that, reminders will not be as polite.
Unlike the previous policy, which designated specific non-smoking areas across campus, smoking is prohibited on all areas of campus. These areas include athletic and recreational fields, outdoor stadiums and grandstands, parking garages and lots, Sewell Park, University Camp and Freeman Ranch.
Emilio Carranco, director of the Student Health Center, said university officials revised the then current policy to take into account the increasing scientific information on the hazardous effects of smoking and being exposed to second-hand smoke.
This is not the campus’ first attempt to control the use of tobacco products on campus.
“The university has had a smoking policy in place for a long time,” Carranco said.
Texas State made the decision in 2000 to prohibit smoking in any university buildings or vehicles. The ban was extended to high-traffic areas in 2005, including The Quad, Alkek Library, Academic Services Building breezeways, and within 20 feet of any building entrance, air intake or open window.
Cpt. Rickey Lattie of the University Police Department said officers will first notify the violator of the new policy and ask them to stop. If the violator is a student and chooses not to comply with the policy, Lattie said UPD will take the student’s name and refer them to the Dean of Students Office.
A management official will report violators of the tobacco policy to the appropriate administrative official, such as the Dean of Students Office, the Office of the Provost, or the vice president. Management officials include university police, residence hall directors, professors, department chairs and anyone else who has a supervisory role at the university.
Carranco said the policy allows administrative officials discretion in how to pursue disciplinary action.
The health center will offer a smoking cessation program free of charge to students, and discounts on smoking cessation medication.
Carranco said the program is designed after other successful programs. He said the first step is for students to complete paperwork assessing addiction levels to nicotine.
“Once we look at that information, then we can decide whether you are going to be able to quit using very basic techniques or whether you are going to need medication,” Carranco said.
Carranco said the health center will carry nicotine patches, gum, lozenges and medications, which have proved to help smokers quit. He said depending on the item, the health center will offer these medications at 25 to 50 percent lower than most retailers.
Health Promotion Services, a department within the health center, will plan an array of educational activities for the upcoming fall and spring semesters.
Julie Eckert, coordinator of Health Promotion Services, said there are going to be two initiatives. Eckert said the first is to make students more knowledgeable of the university’s tobacco policy using social media outlets such as posters, sandwich boards and bus advertisements.
“Definitely the first year is going to be education and marketing about the new policy and as things come up we’ll see what the next year brings,” she said. “There may be some other things we need to do.”
Eckert said the second initiative is to make people aware of the benefits of being tobacco-free.
“I think we do have a good plan and it is modeled after plans that have been pursued at other colleges and universities,” Carranco said. “I just hope that the entire campus community will understand that this is a process and that they’ll help us try to make this a smooth transition over the course of the next few months.”
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