UHCL might soon become a tobacco-free campus

CORRECTION: This article has been edited to correct Nikki Olivas’ title to PASA’s ULC representative. A link to a survey intended for only Professional and Administrative Staff Association has been removed. 

The University Life Committee (ULC) recently wrote a proposal that recommends UHCL to change its smoking policy to become a tobacco and smoke-free campus.

The current smoking policy allows for students, faculty and staff to smoke at the designated smoking areas located outside each building on campus. The ULC is reaching out to the UHCL community to identify the opinions of becoming a tobacco-free and smoke-free campus.

Chairman of ULC Robert Bartsch wrote the proposal to create a discussion about the current policy because of a combination of reasons.

“The issue was brought up because of a sense that it was time to review the policy and to see how it was working,” Bartsch said. “Some complaints [were made] about non-smokers either not being able to use the spaces designed as smoking areas or non-smokers being bothered by smoke from smoking areas drifting onto major walking pathways.”

Jessica Clakley, anthropology and cross-cultural studies major, said she would vote against the policy change.

“Being able to smoke on campus is one of the reasons why I came to UHCL,” Clakley said.

The proposed policy change does not allow people to smoke in the parking lots or on campus grounds, but they can still smoke in their personal vehicles. However, the policy change will create a problem for people who do not have cars or are on campus all day with no time to run to their cars.

Tia Lewis, interdisciplinary studies major, is one of the people on campus who does not have a car. In addition to attending classes, Lewis also works at the bookstore and is on campus usually from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with little time to smoke during her breaks.

The University Forest Apartments will not be affected by the policy change; the proposed policy will, however, affect new student housing.

If the current smoking policy changes, UHCL will join the 475 tobacco-free colleges and universities, in the United States, including the University of Houston. Nikki Olivas, PASA’s ULC representative, says the UHCL community will benefit by becoming a tobacco-free campus.

“Implementing a tobacco-free policy would benefit the health of the university community by eliminating secondhand smoke from common areas around campus and would allow non-smokers to enjoy those areas—such as the outdoor patio area and the gazebo outside the Student Services & Classroom Building—without breathing in secondhand smoke,” Olivas said.

Regina Pickett, director of health services, and the health services staff agree with Olivas’ opinion and provided a list of reasons why they support a tobacco-free campus.

1. Universities and colleges are a target for a tobacco prevention program due to receiving high school students who become daily smokers by age 26 years.
2. Smoking not only harms smokers but also causes poor health conditions such as coronary heart disease, stroke and lung cancer in nonsmokers due to exposure to secondhand smoke.
3. A policy should educate and use cessation resources to impact UHCL smokers by providing a safe and healthy learning environment.
4. Tobacco-free policies should not force people to quit or act as punishment.
   The possibility to change UHCL’s policy is up for discussion. ULC wants to hear from the UHCL community to determine if the school should: become a tobacco-free campus, not change the current smoking policy or change the locations of the designated smoking areas.