Public Health in Oregon - Join The Conversation

I feel that yes, Oregon State should be a smoke free, tobacco free campus. This policy would not put a harmful affect on very many aspects on the Oregon State campus and surrounding community, because smoking on campus isn’t that prevalent. As a non-smoker, I hate getting stuck behind a smoker on the side walk and breathing in their secondhand smoke, or crowds of people standing outside buildings creating smoke clouds. With the implementation of a smoke free campus would create a healthier environment for all students, and may even help with cessation for smoking students.

Seeing Oregon State University as a smoke free campus would benefit many students in the Corvallis area. Not only will it benefit students, but also visitors as well as future Beavers. As far as health issues goes, I’m surprised OSU hasn’t taken the initiative to prohibit a smoke free campus as well. Second hand smoking as well as third hand smoking can be very dangerous and can cause severe damages to the internal body without the inhaler’s acknowledgment. I would support OSU’s enactment on making the campus smoke free.

I’m so glad that OSU is on its way toward becoming a tobacco free campus, for many of the reasons already mentioned.  I think enforcement will be tough at first and that advertising with the right messages is going to be key.  Its important to look at the reasons why people smoke- cultural, stress, social, etc- so that we can find the best solutions to help smokers quit and to introduce healthy solutions, with support programs on campus.

I have enjoyed attending Oregon State thus far but one thing that would make the experience more enjoyable would be walking across a tobacco-free campus. I believe that the people who smoke have the right to do what they will to their bodies, but those around them should not be subjected to such an individual choice. I do see that there may be some major hurdles to jump over in regards to becoming a tobacco-free campus, but when approximately 300 campuses across the US have done it, why can’t we?

Oregon State is in cahoots with the University of Oregon to come up with a plan of action regarding the tobacco-free campus policy. With both schools supporting one another in a decision that affects not just students, and staff, but the businesses surrounding the colleges, etc., it is important to have as much information on the table as possible. I believe that within a couple of years, a tobacco-free campus will happen on not just Oregon State’s campus, but on U. of O’s as well.

I believe that OSU should convert their campus into one that is smoke free. Second hand smoke is extremely dangerous and the victims should have the right to protect themselves. I find it interesting that the OSU campus hasn’t become smoke free yet, because such a small population of the university smokes tobacco, and Benton County is one of the healthiest counties in OR. It’s time for OSU to follow in the footsteps of other universities and become smoke free.

As an Oregon State student, I would really love to have a smoke- or tobacco-free campus! I can’t stand walking around campus and having to either walk through a cloud of someone’s smoke or walk to class behind someone who’s smoking. It’s disgusting! Don’t share your bad choices with me!!! My uncle just passed away of lung cancer (a result of many years of smoking, even though he had quit long ago) so I feel very strongly about not being forced to breathe in other peoples’ cigarette smoke. It is definitely a personal choice whether to smoke or not, but smokers force the rest of us into breathing second-hand smoke.

Oregon State University is still in the planning phase of becoming a tobacco-free campus.  This is a great idea.  Although some people might be worried about the international student population being reduced once this policy comes into effect I believe it will be worth it because more people that don’t smoke will want to come to OSU.  If we cut down the place that students and staff can smoke then maybe we can reduce the number of smokers in our community all together.

In my opinion, I strongly believe Oregon State should be a smoke free campus.  With there being such a small percentage of those who do smoke on campus and the majority holding the position of being non smokers, it seems that the answer should be pretty obvious of having a smoke free campus.  Also, it is pretty interesting how most campuses located in the south east, which is predominately where our tobacco comes from, are already either smoke or tobacco free.  So if campuses such as, University of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky, are smoke free, then what is holding Oregon State back? 
  Oregon is already one of the most active, healthy, and outdoorsy states, compared to others.  Having Oregon State University as a smoke free campus would not only compliment the university, but it could also see an increase in enrollments from students.
I understand the change for a smoke free campus wont be easy and of course with any change comes a cost, but this seems to be such a win win situation for the students, faculty and staff. if anything, the process will be slow but steady and look forward to continuing advocating for a smoke free university.

The very obvious statement is that of course OSU should follow suit. How can a major university pretend to be a leader in young lives and education when it is behind over 300 other college and universities in this decision.

I understand there are many stakeholders in this decision, and it is not as easy as saying no more smoking. there is cessation considerations, what to do about sporting events when more than just students are on campus, and union concerns as well.

But the way I see it, if seven universities in North Carolina, the heart of tobacco country can ban smoking, I think OSU can too.

Oregon State University should follow the example set by these schools and become a tobacco-free (or at least smoke-free) campus. Second hand smoke negatively impacts the health of all students, faculty, staff and visitors that walk the OSU grounds. The small minority who do regularly smoke on campus may have the “right” to do so, however, they do not have the right to potentially harm all those that they contact while they light up.

Its great to see so many Oregon campus’ turning either smoke free or tobacco free. I feel that OSU its far from joining. OSU is just steps away from making it happen and its great to see that work is being done in the direction of becoming a smoke free campus. I know there is a lot of planning, campaigning and enforcing before it will happen but i think we are talking to the right people and getting important people in on the topic. Making OSU smoke free would really benefit everyone because there wouldn’t be any second hand smoke, and for those who chose to continue smoking they will maybe think twice about it if they have to walk off campus. Smoking is dangerous in any amount and we don’t want the OSU staff and students harming their health because of a small percent of the OSU’s community smoking habits.

I think OSU should be tobacco free/smoke free because a very small population smokes here at OSU and it is not fair to expose others to second and third hand smoke.  Our environment here at OSU is also put in jeopardy by littering the ground with tobacco products or cigarette butts.  I think our air and environment overall will be much healthier and the student health center will see less sick people due to tobacco related illnesses (such as secondhand smoke causing an asthma attack).  Making OSU tobacco free/smoke free would help to hopefully bring in more incoming students such as international students and help promote a better well-being for the community.

The trend of campuses going smoke-free is great, and it’s only a matter of time before the majority of colleges and universities in the US are smoke- or tobacco- free. Oregon State should recognize this opportunity to be ahead of the curve in making this difficult but advantageous change. Go Beavs!

Oregon State University seems to be on the verge   of becoming 100% tobacco free! Thankfully there are 1000 of supporters on OSU’s campus that feel that second hand smoke and the habit of smoking is making all the students unhealthy. We have great examples of campuses around the country just like ours to follow the lead from. I think it will be with in 2 years that we see something drastic happen with the program to get our campus 100% tobacco free.

I think Oregon State University should become a tobacco free campus for several reasons. We all know the negative effects of tobacco on our bodies and the effects it can have on the people around us. We’re supposed to be smart people here for an education of higher learning. We don’t need to kill brain cells or ourselves. Also the use of cigarettes on campus creates excess littering. We have a beautiful green campus and we should keep it that way.

As well as many, I believe OSU should be tobacco free. The reason why I believe this is not only for health reasons for an individual but for others (2nd degree smoking) and the residue left from the smoke (3rd degree smoking). I believe that smoking is a choice, and many people choose to smoke so they shouldn’t bother the ones who choose to stay healthier and choose NOT to smoke. Also, some people are allergic to smoke. and maybe if we take away smoking on campus those who do smoke will be less like to keep smoking.

OSU is in their planning process in trying to make the campus smoke/tobacco free. After learning more about how PH is working to make this happen, there are alot of areas to get involved in with making this work. I think OSU needs to be tobacco free because it will help the health of other people around the smokers and obviously to become a cleaner better campus in all. It will give people a chance to quit as well as realize what they are doing to other people around them. OSU is going to be a Smoke free campus in the end, it will just take some time.

I think that Oregon State University should be a smoke-free campus in the near future. In fact, if it’s possible, I would like to see a completely tobacco-free campus. However we all know there are many obstacles to either of these. I think the largest obstacle that OSU faces is the population of international students who smoke quite a bit. Obviously this is a personal choice and people should have the right to do whatever they want, but not when it is harming others, which is what second-hand smoke does. I think if we were to use some of the strategies that have been used to other universities to cope with the change we could be successful here at OSU. My favorite strategy is the business cards that PSU hands out to people who are smoking on campus as an attempt to be discreet and avoid embarrassing enforcement situations. But I definitely think it is possible and important!

OSU’s smoke free campus is long over due.  It’s good to know that at least the wheels are turning, and it will soon be smoke free.  Although I don’t see much smoking while I’m on campus, I do think it should be banned, just because it promotes better health.

I definitely believe that OSU should be a 100% smoke free campus because the majority of the students attending OSU do not smoke and it is unhealthy for all of those students who do not smoke to have to walk by others who are smoking and inhale their second hand smoke. It may not be easy to do but it should be done.

I definitely believe and feel strongly about turning our campus, OSU, into a 100% smoke free one.  I know that is a lot easier said than done though.  That is why I think it is a very good idea to start small, and build up.  I know some people may look at that as ripping the Band-Aid off slowly when, if you just do it fast and get it over with, it usually works out better in the end.  But I strongly think starting at least with designated smoking areas and slowly expanding those farther and farther from campus, until the university is virtually smoke free, is the best way to obtain this goal.  I feel so strongly about this idea because there are so many reasons baking it up why it IS such a good idea.  It is obviously better for everyone, smokers and nonsmokers, in the health department; there is no doubt about that.  It would also help the environmental aspects of our campus as well.  It would decrease the amount of secondhand smoke lingering around the air as well as decrease the amount of trash cigarette buds and packages create.

I think OSU should be smokefree because it aligns with the university’s mission. College is a time of learning and shaping habits and beliefs, and we should be learning in a safe and healthy environment. The Fresh Ar Initiative Survey of OSU students, faculty, and staff revealed the support for the ban. It also displayed that a ban may help encourage smokers to quit: 85% of respondents who smoked in the past 30 days said a smokefree campus would encourage them to quit smoking tobacco. I believe this is a win-win situation.

I definitely think that Oregon State University should be tobacco free. I personally do not partake in tobacco products, and I feel that I should not have to breathe in smoke from another person’s cigarette. I also believe that ridding Oregon States Campus from tobacco not only will make our campus healthier, but will potentially draw more students to the University for education knowing that they will be in a healthier environment.

I definitely think OSU should be smoke-free, and I think many non-smokers would agree. I can understand the difficulty with enforcing a smoke-free policy, and based on our guest speaker today, it doesn’t sound much like we have solutions. I agree that slowly many, if not all, college campuses will become smoke-free. I also think that OSU and UO will join within the next several years. However, I also think it will cost money that OSU doesn’t want to spend and compromises that people aren’t ready to make just yet. I hope it happens sooner rather than later.

OSU should be a smoke free campus because the majority does not smoke and would like the campus to be smoke free. Smoking has been proven to be bad not only for the smokers health, but also everyone around them.

I think OSU should go tobacco free, or if not tobacco free, definitely smoke free. I believe that in the end the benefits will outweigh the costs. However, I do understand the reasons why people oppose going smoke free. It would be a limitation on one’s right to smoke where they choose though, because campus is a public place, there are other people to consider aside from oneself. We know how harmful second hand smoke is and I think that becoming a smoke free campus will provide (and encourage!) a healthy environment for all OSU students.

I think that OSU should be a smoke free campus.  it fits with the overall environment of the community and it is what the students have said they want.  However, I don’t think that OSU is really that close to getting to the smoke free campus label yet.  There a re still many obstacles and issue that still need to be sorted out and resolved.  Also there need to be compromises made within the community to support the move to a smoke free campus.

I think that a smoke free campus would be a great thing for Oregon State. It would encourage people to stop smoking and further emphasize the negative health effects in the minds of people. It could also help to prevent smoking in those that are the “first time on their owners” by making smoking not socially acceptable in their living environment. On a campus so focused on ensuring a clean and sustainable world it seems only logical that we give ourselves the same respect in our own daily environment

I believe that OSU should be a smoke free campus but it wont come easy. I think there are obstacles in the way for example, budgeting, enforcing it and where do the smokers go to smoke. Someone mentioned in class that if smokers have to smoke across the street, then that could affect the business on that side of the street. I want a smoke free campus but I don’t know how long it will take to get there. It will also be interesting how OSU handles sporting events because it will be much harder to enforce with the amount of people on campus.

I wish I still had the e-mail from my university Dean of Students back in college about the issue of smoking on campus. A group of us went to the administration with a proposal from students to merely ban smoking IN OUR DORMS. It was met with the polite rebuttal that admissions could only limit the number of smoking rooms in dorms, but that ultimately it was not the university’s place to legislate that kind of person decision. I will never forget how frustrating that response felt given that the majority of students on campus did not smoke.

So ten years later, which seems like forever and no time at all, it’s tremendously impressive to see a policy like this take hold here in the Northwest. We’ve been a bit less progressive on tobacco issues (even in liberal Portland) than other states. It’s great to see Oregon taking a leadership role and integrating these kinds of policies into our higher education system.