The pernicious march toward tobacco prohibition continues at
American universities. Ohio Board of Regents Chairman James
Tuschman said he will ask trustees at all of the state’s two- and four-year
institutions to ban tobacco on campus (here). In neighboring West Virginia, the Board
of Governors announced that it will impose a tobacco ban at West Virginia
University in July 2013 (link).
It is distressing that institutions that ought to stand for tolerance
and diversity are implementing not only indoor smoking bans (which have a solid
scientific rationale) and outdoor smoking bans (which have virtually no
scientific rationale), but universal bans of all tobacco products, including
significantly less harmful smokeless tobacco.
WVU’s tobacco ban is in stark contrast to its alcohol policy
(here) which allows alcoholic beverages to be served on campus within certain guidelines. University officials are banning smokeless
tobacco, which carries a risk about equal to driving an automobile, while
allowing alcohol, which is significantly more dangerous.
A comprehensive national review of alcohol use among college
students (link) found that 42% (3.8 million) consumed 5 or more drinks on an occasion in the
past month. Thirty-one percent (2.8
million) admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol in the past
year. The data also show that over
500,000 college students are unintentionally injured per year because of
alcohol; more than 600,000 are hit or assaulted by another drinking student;
and over 1,700 die from alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents and other
injuries.
Campus tobacco prohibition is illogical, oppressive and
difficult to enforce. Modern smokeless
tobacco products are spit-free and invisible in use. WVU anti-tobacco extremists warn that “Consistent communication about the policy
will be essential and will require commitment from all levels of leadership
from President Clements, deans and directors, supervisors to resident
assistants in the dorms. University Police officers should be called upon to
help inform violators of the new policy” (here).
Will campus police employ tobacco-sniffing dogs at security
checkpoints? Will faculty and staff conduct
random mouth checks before university lectures?
There is no rational basis for colleges and universities to
prohibit the use of smokeless tobacco products.
Comprehensive campus bans on tobacco are impractical, inappropriate and
a distraction from truly important health risks facing our nation’s college students.
