Group Seeks Smoke-Free College Campuses

If Joseph A. Califano Jr. has his way, you won't be able to sneak that cigarette anywhere on Harvard's campus. And Califano, president of the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA), may have the muscle to fight what he calls "public enemy number one."

Califano, the former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare under President Jimmy Carter, has gathered an impressive group of supporters, including the CEO of Champion International Corp., Penn State's head football coach, a few U.S. Senators and the President of Notre Dame, to combat smoking on more than 3,500 college campuses, including Harvard.

The result of Califano's effort was CASA's Smoke-Free Campus report, released this past August. The report urges colleges and universities to establish campus-wide smoke-free policies, including a ban on the sale, advertising and distribution of all tobacco products and prohibiting the use of the school logo on smoking paraphernalia such as cigarette lighters and ashtrays.

Alyse L. Booth, a spokesperson for CASA, said the purpose of the commission was "to find out what other campuses had done that was effective and see if we could put it into a list of recommendations to make it easier for colleges to follow and implement such policies."

The commission's recommendations come after a study released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this past January 1993 which designated second-hand smoke as a Group A carcinogen, placing it among the most serious of all cancer-causing agents, and the cause of 3,000 lung cancer deaths in non-smokers per year.

Booth emphasized that students and administrators should work together to promote a greater awareness of the health risks of smoking and second-hand smoke.

Marion R. Herz, an environmental protection specialist in the EPA's Indoor Air Division, cited respiratory tract irritation, colds, sore throats and cancer as the major effects of second-hand smoke on college-aged young adults.

"The EPA recommends that smoking should be banned outright indoors," Herz said. "If not, smoking should be limited to a separately ventilated smoking room and the air must be exhausted outside of the building."

And Harvard seems to have been following many of the recommendations of the report before it was released. Harvard recently formulated a stringent smoking policy in light of a 1988 ordinance mandated by Cambridge.

The first city in the country to pass such an ordinance, Cambridge declared smoking in public places to be a "public nuisance" and asserted that smoking "violates the rights of non-smokers to breathe air that is free of smoke contamination."

Areas now designated as off limits to smokers include the workplace, public libraries, schools, restrooms and theaters. Private institutions are excluded from the ordinance, although Harvard instituted new rules in compliance with the ordinance.

According to Harvard Director of Human Resources Dianne B. Patrick, smoking is now forbidden inside all of Harvard's buildings located in Cambridge, except when specifically posted.

Within Cambridge, private offices may be smoking areas if they have independent ventilation systems, and some rooms may be designated as smoking areas. Widener and Lamont libraries, which used to contain designated smoking rooms, no longer have such facilities. Holyoke Center had two smoking rooms, but became smoke-free this past August after employee complaints.

"I think [Holyoke becoming smoke-free] a good move to preserve the health of the people," said Dianne M. Dyslin, a spokesperson for Harvard Real Estate who helped lead the effort to have smoking prohibited in the building.

The Faculty Club has also become smoke-free in the past year, based on a number of member requests, according to one club employee who would not give his name.

Thomas A. Dingman '67, associate dean of the college for the house system, said no smoking is allowed in house common areas, including conference rooms, libraries, stairways, hallways and classrooms. Smoking is also prohibited in all dining halls.

With respect to the use of the school logo on smoking paraphernalia, Harvard does not permit the use of the University logo on "any lighters, cigarettes, or anything to do with smoking," according to Rick Calixto, Harvard's U.S. trademark licensing administrator.

Harvard's strict policy is not the only component of its smoke-free program. According to Gail L. Gramarossa, manager of Harvard's office of health education, the University provides several options for those attempting to quit smoking, including a do-it-yourself smoker's quit kit, a faculty and staff support group for smoking quitters and nicotine replacement devices available by prescription.

"You want to help a person quit sooner than later," Gramarossa said. "We would encourage everyone in the Harvard community to talk to their doctor if they're smokers."

Students expressed approval for the present University policy. "It's matter of public health taking precedence over personal decisions," said Catherine E. Winiarski '96.

But should the University go completely smoke-free? "That would be in infringing on the rights of smokers," said Jennifer R. Dean '96. "It's unfair that they put second-hand smoke on us, but it seems we're deciding a lot for them."

Gramarossa is more optimistic about the possibility. "It may be challenging to establish a smoke-free environment at such a large and diverse place as Harvard, but if it can be done at other places, it may be something that Harvard will want to look at."