Students Gianluca Barecchia and Ashley Sainvil recently attended a Truth Initiative Conference in Crystal City, VA.
Dominican College has joined a national movement to address smoking and tobacco use at college campuses. The College will receive funds and technical support from Truth Initiative®, the nation’s largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to making tobacco use a thing of the past.
“Dominican College is committed to making our environment safer, healthier, and more productive,” said Director of Student Health and Project Leader Lynda Chesterman. “Students, faculty, staff, and administrators will be asked to support the adoption of a 100 percent tobacco-free or smoke-free policy.”
Co-leader Jenna Tacinelli Hach, Clinical Education Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Athletic Training, added, “Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in this country. In addition, secondhand smoke exposure causes cancer and cardiopulmonary diseases.”
Dominican College has formed a Taskforce for a Tobacco-Free Campus to assess tobacco use, identify a treatment plan for current smokers, and draft a smoke-free or tobacco-free policy. Two students on the task force will develop and lead educational efforts among students. The policy ultimately must be approved by the President’s cabinet before being enacted.
“With 99 percent of smokers starting before age 26, college campuses are critical platforms for preventing young adults from starting tobacco use, aiding those current tobacco users in quitting, and reducing exposure to secondhand smoke for all,” said Robin Koval, CEO and president of Truth Initiative. “We are looking forward to supporting Dominican College’s efforts to make smoking and tobacco use a thing of the past.”
Background:
A 100 percent tobacco-free policy prohibits the use of any tobacco product, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, small cigars, pipes, hookah, smokeless tobacco (otherwise known as dip, chew, snuff, spit and snus) and other smokeless products. It can also include electronic cigarettes. A comprehensive tobacco-free policy could also address tobacco sales, marketing, sponsorship, and investments at colleges. A 100 percent smoke-free policy is one that prohibits the use of smoke-producing tobacco, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, small cigars, pipes and hookah, as well as e-cigarettes. Both policies apply to anyone on campus and on any campus property. For more information on model campus policies, visit the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation.