As part of an effort to promote healthy lifestyles among students, faculty and
staff, the City Colleges of Chicago Board of Trustees passed a 100 percent
tobacco-free campus policy today, becoming the largest higher education
institution in Chicago to do so. The
policy, which will take effect March 1, 2012, prohibits tobacco use (including
cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products) on all college property, impacting
more than 120,000 students and 5,800
faculty and staff as well as visitors.
“This
is an important step towards ensuring that our students have healthy and safe
environments to live, learn, play and succeed,” said Mayor Emanuel. “Promoting
healthy environments is crucial to securing a high-quality of life for
Chicagoans in every neighborhood, supporting a vibrant economy, and keeping our
city on the cutting edge.”
The
policy will cover City Colleges’ seven colleges, seven satellite locations and
the district office. City Colleges is offering “Courage to Quit” smoking
cessation classes and other resources to assist students, faculty and staff at
each college who want to quit smoking or stop using other tobacco products.
These resources will be available at new college Wellness
Centers.
“As
we reinvent our institution to ensure students are prepared to compete for the
jobs of the future, we must also provide a learning environment that protects
their future health and well-being. The tobacco-free policy helps create a
college environment that promotes a healthy lifestyle among our faculty, staff
and students, and benefits the entire City Colleges community,” said Chancellor
Hyman.
“This
policy is critical in saving lives, and is an important step in implementing the
City’s public health agenda, Healthy Chicago,” said Dr. Bechara Choucair,
Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. “College students use
tobacco at a higher rate than the average of adults across the nation and we applaud City Colleges of Chicago for its
bold move to help reduce tobacco use and decrease exposure to secondhand
smoke.”
Prior
to adopting the policy, City Colleges conducted a survey of students, faculty
and staff, which found that 85 percent of respondents said that a tobacco-free
policy would improve health for staff and students. 80 percent of those surveyed
believed the policy would introduce changes in social norms, creating a
healthier school environment. More than half of all smokers surveyed said that
on-campus smoking cessation programs would help them transition to a
tobacco-free lifestyle.
The
Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago (RHAMC) assisted City
Colleges in crafting its policy. Joel Africk, RHAMC President and Chief
Executive Officer of commented that “Studies have shown that tobacco-free
policies make it easier for people who want to quit smoking to be successful,
and decrease the likelihood that others will start , This is especially true
when an institution offers group classes or other free resources to help people
quit smoking.”
The
City Colleges of Chicago District-wide Student Government Association voted
unanimously to support the tobacco-free campus policy.
"From
a student’s perspective, a tobacco-free campus helps both smokers and
non-smokers, as it helps to create a comfortable environment for the non-smoker
who should not have to endure the harmful effects of second-hand smoke,” said
Olurotimi Akindele, president of the Harold Washington College Student
Government Association. “Likewise, a tobacco-free campus paired with support
services encourages smokers who are trying to quit. I am happy that City
Colleges of Chicago is focused on ensuring our students are supported in their
academic pursuits as well as the other non-academic aspects of their lives that
are often critical to their success in college and beyond."
The
tobacco-free policy is just the first component in City Colleges’ overall
Healthy Campus initiative, which will also include healthy and affordable food
choices, zero tolerance for violence/bullying, green initiatives and other
healthy activities.