The Eugene 08 Steering Committee announced it will prohibit the use of tobacco at the 2008 USA Track & Field Olympic Trials scheduled to take place in Eugene this summer. The Clean Air Project enthusiastically supports this decision.
Through this policy, the Steering Committee is sending a clear and important message that secondhand smoke and public spaces don’t mix. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in Oregon – both for people using it directly and for people breathing second-hand smoke. The Surgeon General recently stated that there is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke and any exposure is harmful. This is particularly important for people who experience asthma or other respiratory problems that can be set off by smoke. And it is critical to athletes who will be performing at peak capacity.
Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, of which at least 250 are cancer causing. It is a carcinogenic air pollutant, and on a campus that prides itself for environmental consciousness it is clearly out of place. Of course, it’s not just the air pollution that is the problem. Cigarettes are the most littered item in America. On campus last term, we picked almost 4,000 butts off the ground in only 30 minutes. These toxic butts take years to biodegrade, damaging the environment with their residue. Creating smoke-free places significantly reduces the amount of cigarette litter.
By choosing to prohibit the use of tobacco at the trials, the Steering Committee is also stating to all that attend, and most importantly to youth, that sports and tobacco do not mix. Tobacco should not be considered the norm in sports, nor should tobacco be linked to athletes that young people look up to. It is estimated that every day 48 young Oregonians try their first cigarette, and of those 20 become regular smokers – mainly because they saw other people smoking and wanted to be like them.
The Eugene 08 Steering Committee’s policy is a great way to take a stand for healthy choices and protect everyone from the dangers of secondhand smoke. If you’d like to learn more about what students are doing to ensure that we all can enjoy smoke-free air on campus check out our group on facebook or go to our Web site at http://healthed.uoregon.edu/CleanAirProject/CleanAirProject.html. After all, you don’t have to be a world-class athlete to know that tobacco has no part in a healthy community.
Nikki Hewlett is the Chair of the Clean Air Project