Smoke-Free Campus
Policy No. 08:20:00
Smoking/Tobacco Use
To help promote a healthier environment for all persons on Walters State Community College's campuses, smoking will be permitted only in personal vehicles effective the first Monday after Walters State's 2014 spring commencement ceremony.
Effective May 12, 2014 all Walters State Community College campuses will become smoke-free environments.
Smoking will be permitted in personal vehicles.
This change is being made to promote a healthier environment for everyone attending or visiting Walters State. According to the American College Health Association, such policies have led to substantial reductions in the number of people exposed to tobacco hazards, the number of people who smoke and the amount of tobacco products consumed. Walters State is joining over 400 colleges across the nation in adopting such a policy.
This policy will promote and create a healthy environment for everyone.
Health Benefits
For members of the campus community who have thought about giving up the use of tobacco, this may be a good time. Regardless of your age or how long you have smoked, the health benefits of kicking the habit begin almost immediately. Within 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drop and, within 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to normal. Circulation improves, coughing decreases, breathing eases and the risk of coronary heart disease is cut in half during the first year. (These figures are from the Surgeon General and the Centers for Disease Control.)
Quitting smoking and tobacco use is hard, but many people do it each year. "Cold turkey" isn't the only option and it may take several tries to find the right method for you. Here are some resources for those who want to quit:
Tennessee Tobacco Quit Line 1 (800) 784-8669
Tennessee Tobacco Online Tips and Coaching
FAQ:
- Why was tobacco use selected versus other health risks?
- Tobacco, when used as intended, leads to serious health problems, including death. Smoking, in particular, exposes individuals choosing not to use tobacco to the same dangers through secondhand smoke.
- What exactly is covered by this policy?
- This policy covers all forms of smoking products, including cigarettes, pipes and cigars. Smokeless electronic cigarettes and other similar devices are also banned under the policy.
- How will this policy be enforced?
- Any member of the Walters State community may respectfully remind individuals of this policy and request compliance. Repeat violations will be handled through the college's established procedures just like other policy violations.
- How does my smoking endanger others?
- The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 2.5 million nonsmokers have died from exposure to secondhand smoke since 1964. The same organization warns that even brief exposure to smoke negatively impacts the health of a nonsmoker. The problem is significant; over 40 percent of non-smokers test positive for cotinine, a dangerous nicotine byproduct of cigarette smoke.
- What about other forms of tobacco?
- The use of mouth tobacco (to include dipping, chewing, etc.) is prohibited in all buildings owned or controlled by Walters State.