Background

About

During the Spring 2013 semester, the California State University, Long Beach campus student body voted to institute a stronger smoke-free policy on campus.  In addition, many years of research conducted by a variety of entities has established the adverse health effects of smoking and tobacco use on both users and bystanders. Responding to the expression of support for a smoke-free campus and the desire to provide and maintain a workplace and learning environment that promotes the safety and health of students, faculty, staff, and the public, President Conoley established a campus task force to develop a campus tobacco and smoke free policy and implementation plan for California State University, Long Beach. The task force membership was designed to represent all campus constituencies, including the population who currently smokes and/or uses tobacco products.

Furthermore, to engage the campus community in a dialogue regarding becoming a tobacco and smoke free campus and to seek input from all constituencies, a tobacco survey was distributed and focus groups among the California State University, Long Beach campus community were held. Of the respondents, students represented 77%, staff represented 13%, faculty represented 9%, and administrators represented 1%.  Among all respondents, 52% reported that second hand smoke typically bothers them a lot.  Among all respondents, 75% support CSULB becoming a smoke/tobacco-free campus. The demographics of those who support CSULB becoming a smoke/tobacco-free campus is as follows: 80% of administrators, 80% of faculty, 82% of staff, and 73% of students.

Task Force

In 2013, CSULB’s student body voted on a referendum to make the campus a smoke-free environment. At the time of the vote, student-voter turnout was at a record high and the referendum was approved by about 64 percent of voters.

Following this, President Conoley convened a university-wide task force comprised of students, faculty and staff to provide suggestions on how best to implement a new comprehensive smoking and tobacco policy by fall 2016. The task force has helped develop recommendations on how to construct and implement the new policy. Central to their work has been the development of the Breathe campaign that will ensure those most affected by the outcome of the referendum continue to feel like highly valued members of the Beach community.

For more information, see the report of the CSULB Tobacco and Smoke Free Task Force.

  1. Articulate the benefits and determinants of, and obstacles to becoming a tobacco-and smoke-free campus;
  2. Evaluate the risk and liabilities associated with continuing to allow: the use of tobacco and smoke products on campus and becoming a tobacco-and smoke-free campus;
  3. Engage the campus community in a dialogue regarding becoming a tobacco-and smoke-free campus to seek input from all constituencies;
  4. Develop a draft tobacco-and smoke-free campus policy, including a compliance/enforcement component;
  5. Identify programs to support smoking and tobacco-use cessation by students, faculty, and staff;
  6. Recommend an implementation strategy to execute a tobacco-and smoke-free campus policy;
  7. Establish the timeline of campus activities to implement a tobacco-and smoke-free policy;
  8. Quantify the financial resources required to implement a tobacco-and smoke-free policy, including support for cessation programs.

  • Claire Garrido-Ortega, Co-Chair (Faculty)
  • Natalie Whitehouse-Capuano, Co-Chair (Faculty)
  • Isabella Lanza, CLA Faculty - Academic Senate Representative
  • Eric Haas-Stapleton, CNSM Faculty - Academic Senate Representative
  • Lisa Nguyen, Student – ASI Representative
  • Elizabeth Martin, Faculty Affairs Representative
  • Scott Apel, Human Resources Representative
  • Angela Girard, RN - Student Health Services Representative
  • Heidi Ortiz - Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Program Coordinator, Student Health Services Representative
  • Carol Menard-Fulthrop - Student Affairs Representative
  • Michael Jackson - Student Affairs Representative
  • Douglas Domingo-Foraste - California Faculty Association Representative
  • Dora Apodaca, Staff Union Representative
  • Stephanie Baugh, Athletics Representative
  • Kathryn Havey, Carpenter Center for Performing Arts Representative
  • CCPE/ALI Representative
  • Jennifer Sherrin, President’s Office Representative
  • Administrative Representative
  • Terrance Graham, Center for International Education Representative
  • Richard Goodwin, Lieutenant, University Police Representative
  • Corrie O’Toole, Faculty and Staff Assistance Program Representative
  • Special Interests Representative
  • Berta Hanson, Human Resources, Staff to the Task Force