District Health finds faults in policy enforcement

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After concerns were raised over the last year about smokers not respecting
CMU’s 25-foot rule, the Central Michigan District Health Department decided
to do a little investigating.

“A lot of the smokers said that they didn’t obey the rule because
the ashtrays weren’t 25 feet from the entrances, so we wanted to see why,”
said Michelle Wolfe, health educator for Isabella County at CMDHD.

The CMDHD put together to inspect the problem. Armed with tape measures, they
perused the campus and measured the distance of every ashtray from every entrance
and exit of every building.

What they found surprised them.

“Basically, we found that only three buildings on campus were in complete
compliance with the policy,” Wolfe said.

The Student Activity Center, Indoor Athletic Complex and the Industrial and
Engineering Technology Building were the only structures on campus which had
all of the ashtrays at least 25 feet from every entrance and exit.

The only buildings not measured were the new Health Professions Building and
the new Towers, because no ashtrays have been put up yet.

CMU’s smoking policy, which was enacted in 1991 and has been revised
three times since, states that “CMU is committed to the health and wellness
of its students, faculty and staff.”

The policy says “Smoking will be permitted outside university buildings
at a minimum distance of 25 feet from a designated entrance/exit. Each building
coordinator will establish a reasonable distance from exits or entrances for
smoking in appropriate outside areas.”

Rich Morrison, vice president of Public Relations, said common sense dictated
where the ashtrays were placed.

“We tried to get them as close to 25 feet as possible, but sometimes
that put them in the middle of the street,” he said. “If that was
the case, we just tried to get them where they were accessible. If they were
way out somewhere where they couldn’t be seen from the doorway, people
would just throw their butts on the ground. That would be counter-productive.”

Though CMU Police could issue a citation to people to violate the policy,
Morrison said he would only think that should be a last resort.

“We are all partners here; the last thing anyone wants is to write a
citation,” he said.

Associate Vice President of Facilities Management Bob Matouka said he has
seen more compliance with the rule in recent months.

“I get out around campus, and walk around and I think that more people
are in compliance with the rule,” he said. “Signage (outside building
entrances) about the policy are helping in that regard.”

A suggestion that FM build smoking huts in order to encourage smokers to use
them in inclement weather is something that Matouka said is not on the table.

“First of all, we don’t want to encourage smoking, because there
is so much information out there that says that smoking is detrimental to your
health,” he said.

Matouka also said budget cuts are another source for concern with building
the huts.

“With all of the cuts, I think that we would be sorely criticized if
we even thought about building something like that,” he said.

At issue is the fact that people who must use the entrances and exits from
the buildings must pass through the second-hand smoke that is created when
smokers cluster too close to the doors.

Numerous studies have linked second-hand smoke exposure to decreased lung
function, cancer, chronic diseases and middle-ear infections in children.

“Second-hand smoke can be as harmful as first-hand smoke,” said
Sarah Campbell, director of Health Services. “It is certainly a health
concern.”

Campbell said she also is aware of a recent study which found that second-hand
smoke is not as harmful as originally thought.

“I’ve seen the study … but I’m not convinced that second-hand
smoke is any less of a concern,” she said. She joins a number of health
care professionals who called the study “flawed.”

Health Services, which offers help for students and their spouses who wish
to quit smoking, is feeling the crunch of budget cuts.

“While the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Program will no longer
be available, other campus resources are still available to students and their
spouses who wish to quit smoking,” Campbell said.

Campbell said the Counseling Center and University Health Services are places
where students can obtain help to quit smoking.

“If medication is needed, it can be prescribed to students and their
spouses,” she said.

Students also can get information on the effects of smoking and help with
smoking cessation from the American Lung Association at www.lungusa.org and
clicking on “tobacco.”