Memo

To: President Miller

From: Morgan Bradford
Date: March 8, 2015
Subject: Proposal to study the feasibility of implementing a Smoke-Free Campus at Hamline
University
Purpose
This proposal recommends that I be allowed to perform a feasibility study of making Hamline
Universitys campus Smoke-Free. After approval has been received, I will produce a report
containing the feasibility of a Smoke-Free campus at Hamline University.
Summary
In the United States, approximately 20% of people smoke tobacco leading to 443,000 premature
deaths every year. These rates are even higher among college students (Lechener et al, 2012). I
plan to research 1) the scope of smoking on Hamlines campus; 2) the effectiveness in reducing
secondhand smoke exposure and smoking prevalence rates of smoke-free campuses at colleges
similar to Hamline; 3) the desire for a smoke-free campus at Hamline University; 4) the
practicability of enforcing a smoke-free policy at Hamline.
I propose to research the feasibility of implementing a smoke-free campus at Hamline University.
Specifically, I aim to discover if the smoke-free campus could effectively reduce smoking
prevalence among Hamline students and to reduce students exposure to secondhand smoke. I
also aim to discover if it is realistically plausible for Hamline to effectively enforce the smokefree policy.
Introduction
Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and worldwide
(W. V. Lechener et al, 2012). The negative effects of smoking tobacco as well as the effects of
secondhand smoke are well known yet approximately 20.6% of the United States population
continues to smoke. Compounding the issue, the smoking rate in the United States has not
substantially decreased in the past ten years, despite increased public awareness of the health
risks associated with the practice.
Many public health organizations, including the American College Health Association (ACHA),
have suggested that intervening at the college level is optimal. College campuses are a good place
to intervene because many smokers begin smoking in college. Additionally, smoking rates are
higher among college students than the general population. Many colleges, per the ACHA
recommendations, have implemented smoke-free or tobacco free campuses to combat the issue.
As of May 2011, over 245 colleges had successfully implemented smoke-free campuses.
The smoke-free campus also reduces the amount of harmful secondhand smoke exposure for
nonsmokers. The dangers of secondhand smoke exposure have been documented since
Hiramayas 1981 study detailed the increased incidence of lung cancer in the wives of Japanese
men who smoked. Recent studies have shown that even the smallest detectable amount of
secondhand smoke exposure causes changes in gene expression that could contribute to lung
cancer (C. Potera, 2011). Because of the dangers that public smoking causes to smokers and
nonsmokers alike, smoke-free campuses are an effective way to protect the safety and health of
students.

Smoke-free campuses have been demonstrated to be effective. At a large Australian University,

Burns et al studied the attitudes surrounding smoke exposure and smoke-free campus policies.
Burns et al found that 83.8% of students preferred to socialize in smoke-free environments, 60%
of students wanted a completely smoke-free campus, and that 40.8% of students believed a
smoke-free campus would increase enrollment at the University (2011).
Lechener et al performed a study of a large Midwestern University who implemented a smokefree campus and studied smoking prevalence and attitudes over a four-year span. Lechener et al
found that over the four-year timespan, the prevalence of occasional smokers and frequent
smokers decreased, suggesting that the effects of a smoke free campus are sustainable over a
long period of time. Additionally, secondhand smoke exposure decreased on-campus and the
attitudes of students about smoking changed with more students preferring to socialize in smokefree areas and a decrease of students reporting their friends smoking at parties over the four-year
time period (2012). At University of Northern Iowa, a college more similar to Hamline
University, a smoke-free campus policy that provided no smoking cessation education programs
reduced the amount of cigarettes current smokers smoked per day along with decreasing
secondhand smoke exposure on campus (J. Kavamahanga, 2010).
I propose to research the feasibility of implementing a smoke-free campus at Hamline University.
My goal of this research if smoking and secondhand smoke exposure is an issue at Hamline
University and examine if there is a desire among the student population for a smoke-free
campus. Finally, I will research to determine if a smoke-free campus at Hamline University
would be able to be enforced and reduce smoking and secondhand smoke exposure.
Proposed Procedure
The following section will describe the research, both completed and proposed, and the criteria
that will be used to make my recommendation.
Completed Research
My current research is as follows:
I have identified the prevalence and mortality associated with smoking in the United
States.
I have identified the adverse health effects associated with secondhand smoke exposure.
I have researched implementation of smoke-free campuses at other institutions and the
effectiveness of those programs on curbing smoking and secondhand smoke exposure,
and changing students attitudes surrounding smoking behaviors.
I have researched the long-term effectiveness of smoking-bans on college campuses.
I have researched effective enforcement measures and problems with each of those
enforcements.
I have researched attitudes of college students surrounding smoke-free campuses.
I have researched failed smoke-free campus programs and why they failed.
I have researched reasons why students chose not to comply with smoke-free campus
policies.
Future Research
This is the research that I will conduct to make my final recommendation:
I will develop a survey for primary research to be distributed to fellow students.
I will research the perceived issue of smoking on campus and secondhand smoke
exposure.

I will research if there is a demand for a smoke-free campus at Hamline University.

I will research the most effective enforcement measures for smoke-free campuses and
what would work best at Hamline.
I will research if students consider smoke-free campuses when determining what college
to attend.

Criteria
After conducting the following research, I will make a recommendation using the following
criteria:
Is smoking a problem on Hamlines campus?
Have other campuss smoke-free campaigns reduced secondhand smoke exposure and
smoking among college students?
Are Hamline students interested in a smoke-free campus?
Can Hamline University effectively enforce a smoke-free campus?
Qualifications and Credentials
I am a Public Health major at Hamline University. I have participated in Smoking Cessation
programs in high school. I have previously researched The First Modern Olympiad, Leif Erikson,
lack of sleep in collegiate athletes as it relates to injury risk, the epidemiology of overuse injuries
in pediatric athletes, empirical use of antibiotics as it contributes to antibiotic resistance and a
proposed solution, and have presented research on the cardiovascular benefits of strength training
versus vigorous aerobic activity in middle school students.
Schedule
Attached is a schedule that will be followed to complete the feasibility report:
1. Feasibility Survey: 3/20/16
2. Team Report #2: 4/3/2016
3. Progress Report: 4/3/2016
4. Feasibility Graphics: 4/10/16
5. Team Report #3: 4/10/2016
6. Rough Draft: 4/17/2016
7. Feasibility PowerPoint and Report: 5/1/2016
References
Burns, S., Jancey, J., Bowser, N., Comfort, J., et al (2013) Moving Forward: A cross
sectional baseline study of staff and student attitudes towards a totally smoke free
university campus. BMC Public Health, 13(1) 1-8.
Kavamahanga, J. (2010). Impact of the Iowa smoke-free Ban among the college students
of the University of Northern Iowa. Dissertations Publishing 2010 (1486468).
Potera, C. (2010). Study finds no level of SHS exposure free of effects. Environmental
Health Perspectives 118(11).
Hiramaya, T. (1981). Non-smoking wives of heavy smokers have a higher risk of lung
cancer: A study from Japan. British Medical Journal 282(6259) 183-185.
Lechener, W. V., Meier, E., Miller, M., Wiener, J. L., Fils-Aime, Y. (2012). Changes in
smoking prevalence, attitudes, and beliefs over 4 years following a campus-wide
anti-tobacco intervention. Journal of American College Health 60(7) 505-511.
Jancey, J., Bowser, N., Burns, S., Crawford, G., Portsmouth, L., Smith, J. (2014). No
smoking here: Examining reasons for noncompliance with a smoke-free policy in
a large university. Nicotine & Tobacco Research 16(7) 976-983.
Lupton, J. R., & Townsend, J. L. (2015). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the

acceptability and effectiveness of university smoke-free policies. Journal of

American College Health 63(4).