Updated 11/21/2009 08:05 AM
SUNY Cortland says no thanks to big tobacco
Studies show 18 to 25-year olds have the highest rate of tobacco use at 18 percent nationwide, and it's the only group whose numbers are not going down. SUNY Cortland has partnered with the Onondaga County Health department to address the issue, and educators told Tamara Lindstrom that means saying no thanks to big tobacco.
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
CORTLAND, N.Y. -- "I don't think there's anything worse than walking to class and have smoke in your face when you're walking behind someone," said SUNY Cortland student Jessica Przepiora.
"I'm kind of a taller guy, so I always inhale it as I walk by. I don't really like that," said alumnus George Soto.
Concerns like these are driving SUNY Cortland to take a closer look at smoking policies.
"Our buildings are tobacco-free. Our entire campus is not tobacco free. So we want to look at the outdoors because secondhand smoke certainly is a concern," said health educator Catherine Smith.
That's just one of the initiatives included in the Colleges for Change program. The program aims to reduce smoking among students through education and tougher tobacco policies. About 14 percent of SUNY Cortland students smoke, lower than the national average. But educators want to see that number go down.
"We want to look at smoke-free housing off campus, actually, for any students who live in multi-unit apartments," Smith said.
Besides the bans on smoking, the program aims to cut ties with tobacco companies by no longer accepting funds for programs and events tied to the university.
"It's called 'No Thanks Big Tobacco,' Smith said. "We want to look at tobacco company sponsorship of certain programs that might be related to the campus."
An idea that may be hard to sell in tough times.
"If they do receive a lot of money from the tobacco companies then where's that money going to come from now?" Soto said.
"I really feel that if they don't get that funding from them it's not the end of the world. People will step up and provide funding or give donations," Przepiora said.
Smith believes most students will support the ban once they realize who's footing the bill.
Administrators are currently looking into how much money is coming from tobacco companies and where those funds are going.