We, the physicians, nurse practitioners and professional staff of the University Health Center, would like to encourage you to eliminate tobacco sales on the University campus, specifically in the Erb Memorial Union. As health care professionals, we feel strongly about this issue as we see the harmful effects of tobacco on students.
In an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it was said that, “Tobacco use is common among college students (22 percent) and is not limited to cigarettes. College appears to be a time when many students are trying a range of tobacco products and are in danger of developing lifelong nicotine dependence. National efforts to monitor and reduce tobacco use of all types should expand to focus on college students and other young adults.” Discontinuing the sales of tobacco on campus would establish and maintain an environment that discourages harmful substance use as well as sending a clear message to students and the campus community.
Our primary mission at the University Health Center is to enhance the educational process by minimizing health-related barriers to personal development and learning. Additionally, we provide prevention, health promotion and education services that enable students to take full advantage of their academic experience and serve as the health and medical resource for the University community. We feel obligated to do what we can to protect students from the harmful effects of tobacco. It is with this in mind that we are asking that tobacco products not be sold on our University campus. Selling a product condones its use. The American College Health Association has published standards of practice for health promotion in higher education and within these standards, we are reminded as health practitioners to “advocate for policies and practices that recognize the interdependent concepts of health, community and academics.” The EMU is a community of interdependent groups that are responsible for providing a healthy learning environment for our students. The sale of tobacco in the EMU gives the message to students that profit is more important than the health of our students.
The University is one of only two of the 29 public or private colleges/universities in the Pacific Northwest to sell tobacco products on campus, and one of three of the Pac-10 schools to vend tobacco. Many universities across the United States have discontinued the sale of tobacco products on campus, and we encourage the EMU Board of Directors and the ASUO Student Senate to follow the lead of the University Bookstore and other universities across our nation in refusing to sell tobacco.