UI to implement campuswide ban on all tobacco

Starting in the fall semester, the University of Iowa will become the first of the state's three public universities to ban all forms of tobacco on its campus.

Smoking cigarettes was outlawed at UI in conjunction with the state's Smoke Free Air Act in 2008, but e-cigarettes and other smokeless tobacco and nicotine products are not covered by the current policy.

Officials announced Tuesday that UI President Sally Mason and her Cabinet have approved expanding the smoke-free policy into a tobacco-free policy that would include electronic cigarettes; chewing or smokeless tobacco; snuff or snus; as well as pipes, hookahs (water pipes), bidis (small, thin, hand-rolled cigarettes) and kreteks (clove cigarettes).

"The university is committed to supporting a healthy campus culture and promoting the well-being of all campus community members," Susan Buckley, UI vice president of human resources, said in a news release. "This commitment, along with a significant amount of research documenting health risks associated with tobacco use, the assessments of regional and national trends, and input from the campus community provide the rationale for the establishment of a tobacco free campus policy to include the use of e-cigarettes."

UI officials still are finalizing details about implementation and enforcement, but the new policy is scheduled to take effect Aug. 24, the first day of the fall semester.

Last year, Mason created a working group to gather input on the issue from various bodies on campus. The working group has been asking councils and committees for an informal assessment of whether they prefer:

• Keeping UI's current smoking policy.

• Amending the current policy to prohibit e-cigarettes only.

• Amending the current policy to include chewless and smokeless products.

The response to such informal polling has changed over the past two years. The UI Faculty Senate, for example, was split in 2013 on the question of whether to expand the campuswide smoking ban to include e-cigarettes.

Some faculty members argued at the time that UI should discourage any type of smoking from a public health standpoint. Others said the state law was meant to be a deterrent to secondhand smoke exposure — a danger not produced by e-cigarettes. And others cautioned against making a decision until they had more data on whether e-cigarettes could be used effectively as smoking-cessation devices.

When informally polled in November 2014, however, the faculty Senate overwhelmingly favored a complete ban of tobacco products. Most campus groups — in athletics, college/divisional leadership, facilities, health-care administration, health sciences leadership, physician leadership, police, residence housing, and student life and student government leaders — likewise have supported expanding the policy.

"It's basically the power of information," Faculty Senate Vice President Christina Bohanna said after the poll. "... Over the past year, the data has shown that there doesn't seem to be a lot of evidence that e-cigarettes are helping people quit smoking."

Supporters of the comprehensive ban cite how similar initiatives already have been implemented at other Big Ten universities including Indiana University, the University of Minnesota and The Ohio State University. Comprehensive bans are under discussion at Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.

"The question of prohibiting e-cigarettes is being studied by our Policy Library Advisory Committee," ISU spokesman John McCarroll said.

"At this point, we are compliant with what Gov. (Chet) Culver implemented back in 2008," UNI spokesman Scott Kettelson said. "We have a new policy language written going the extra step to tobacco-free, but have yet to complete the approval process within the necessary campus groups. I anticipate that policy approval process to begin in the near future."

UI's new policy will apply to students, faculty, staff and visitors. It includes all buildings, vehicles and outdoor areas owned, leased or controlled by UI. The use of e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco already is prohibited in UI residence halls.

"It's a great move," said Doug Beardsley, director of the Johnson County Department of Public Health. "It shows they are committed to creating an environment of healthy living and healthy lifestyle on campus. This is what we've been looking for and encouraging."

Reach Jeff Charis-Carlson at jcharisc@press-citizen.com or 319-887-5435. Follow him at @jeffcharis.

Need help to stop using tobacco?

• For students: Visit Student Health & Wellness. For free tobacco cessation services, call 319-335-8370 or email student-health@uiowa.edu.

• For UI faculty and staff: Visit UI Wellness' liveWell program. The program offers free tobacco cessation services, plus up to $500 reimbursement for Nicotine Replacement Therapy or prescription medications that may not be covered by one's health insurance. Call 319-353-2973 or email livewell@uiowa.edu.

• For Iowans: Visit QuitLine Iowa. The program offers free tobacco cessation resource available to all Iowans. Or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.