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Smoke-free Campus

As the state's largest university heads into its first smoke-free semester, the leadership of Northern Michigan University is watching intently.

A smoking cigarettes ban that took effect July 1 at all three University of Michigan campuses - home to 58,000 students - extends to all grounds and buildings, with the exception of sidewalks along some of the campuses' main thoroughfares.

"Everyone knows I'd like to go smoke cigarettes free - there is no doubt about that," said NMU President Les Wong, who has broached the subject with the board of trustees on several occasions.

Wong said he is paying close attention to smoke-free policies at other institutions.

There are at least 530 colleges and universities, including 18 in Michigan, that have enacted 100 percent smoke-free campus policies, according to the lobbying organization Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights.

Wong said the effects of smoking cigarettes are clear, yet he is leery about forcing a ban on a possibly unwilling campus population.

"I don't think there's anything new to be discovered. I think everyone intellectually knows smoking cigarettes and second-hand smoke cigarettes is not healthy," he said. "Yet there is a lot of respect for choice."

In the past, campus-wide opinion surveys have been done regarding the possibility of a smoking cigarettes ban and Wong said the result has always come back at about 50-50.

He said he hopes to conduct a campus survey during the fall semester, allowing the board to decide conclusively whether to move forward on a ban. Wong said he would like to finally see the campus population signal clearly which direction it would like to move in.

That approach is quite different than the one taken by UM in the years leading up to its ban.

"We did not survey in that manner," said Dr. Robert Winfield, chief health officer and director of the UM Health Service. "We had made the decision to do it and we surveyed to determine how we would do it."

Rather than using public safety officers to enforce the rule, the university is relying on voluntary participation. If an individual violates the policy, they will be disciplined as though they violated any university policy. Levels of discipline for employees include coaching, counseling, verbal and written reprimands, layoff and possible dismissal. Students would face a similar progression.

The major goal of the ban was to improve the health and well-being of faculty, students and staff members. The policy is coupled with health and wellness programs, as well as reduced costs for treatment and counseling on campus.

On average, Winfield said smokers take more breaks and more sick days, while racking up $2,000 more in annual health care costs.

"It's not a moral issue. We are not the cigarettes online police. This is not a moral right or wrong," he said, "We are trying to create a healthy campus."

Much like UM, NMU has instituted nutrition and physical fitness programs - like opening the Superior Dome for community use - in recent years in pursuit of a healthier community.

"We have a number of nutrition programs we didn't have before," Wong said. "There's a lot of activities on a lot of those fronts and (smoking cigarettes) is the outlier."

But the smoke-free trend, even in the state, is becoming more pronounced. Days before the University of Michigan went smoke-free, Eastern Michigan University announced a two-week educational campaign to remind smokers of its current policy - which bans smoking cigarettes within 25 feet of buildings.

That may be the first step toward a policy at EMU similar to the one at UM.

"I like the idea of setting aside a week in the spring or some kind of highly-promoted activities that increase awareness, increase involvement," Wong said. "But I think it all hinges on a strong commitment and a willingness to make a change."

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