The head of Memorial University’s discipline of oncology is calling on the university’s new president to ban smoking on university campuses.
In a letter to president Gary Kachanoski dated Sept. 1, Dr. David Saltman suggests Memorial follow examples set by the province’s health authorities and the College of the North Atlantic (CNA) who have banned smoking on all its properties.
As well, Saltman said, more than 400 universities and colleges in North America, including four in Atlantic Canada have also gone smoke-free.
“Memorial University’s current policy of asking students and staff to run the gauntlet of smokers while entering and exiting some building entrances ignores the large body of research that demonstrates the many health hazards of second-hand smoke,” Saltman said in an editorial published recently in Memorial’s student newspaper The Muse.
By not imposing a smoking ban, he said, Memorial is exposing thousands of students and staff to the harmful effects of a known carcinogen and increasing their risk of disability and premature death.
“I don’t think people really realize that there’s a lot of evidence about how dangerous second-hand smoke is and that there’s really no safe level,” Saltman said in a telephone interview Thursday.
Saltman said research recently published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal has shown that policies taken to reduce second-hand smoke exposure in public places in the Toronto area may be responsible for the decreased number of people coming to hospital with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
A study recently published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health conducted by Peter Wang of Memorial’s faculty of medicine finds there’s a higher risk of colorectal cancer among former and current smokers than non-smokers.
Wang’s research states this province has the highest incidence of colorectal cancer in Canada and globally, it is the third leading cause of death from cancer in males and the fourth leading cause of death from cancer in females.
“I don’t think people really realize that there’s a lot of evidence about how dangerous second-hand smoke is and that there’s really no safe level.” - Dr. David Saltman
During the interview, Saltman referred to signage outside the doors of the University Centre. One sign says ‘No Smoking.’ A sign less than 10 feet away indicates the area is a designated smoking area.
“That’s completely illogical. Not only is second-hand smoke very high in that entrance, but each time you open the door it goes into the main building.”
Saltman is pleased that Kachanoski has acknowledged his letter and is in favour of reducing second-hand smoke exposure at Memorial.
Former acting president Eddy Campbell was also interested in such an initiative, Saltman said.
Kachanoski suggested the physician begin discussions with Sheila Miller, director of the university’s department of health and safety.
The meeting has been set for Oct. 28, Saltman said.
Saltman is hoping a smoking ban will be in place by September 2011.
Jessica McCormick, a Memorial University student and director of external affairs with MUN Students’ Union (MUNSU) said the union has been following the issue closely and has recently distributed a survey to students about several topics including smoking on campus.
Once feedback is received, McCormick said, the union will be in a position to take a stand on the issue.
“It will be based on what the majority of students on campus believe,” she said.
Kevin Coady, executive director of the Alliance for the Control of Tobacco said his group has been working with Memorial University for a number of years, without success, on a smoking ban.
He’s delighted Saltman has taken up the cause, as well.
“We are supportive with any move that reduces outdoor smoking on campus or at least gets it away from the door ... or, if possible, a complete smoke-free campus,” Coady said.
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"Second hand smoke" is the most illogical unintelligent propaganda claim ever to find its way into the realm of scant possibilities. Have any of you the ability to reason and think for yourselves or does a government strategist have to do all your thinking for you? "Smokers have no right to impose their smoke on those who choose to not ingest deadly tobacco smoke."??? The problem here is a widespread misunderstanding of the basics of your rights. Our rights are not power we should ever compare in arguments with each other. Rights are our power over government intrusion, into affairs where they have no legal authority to go. No legal right that is, until the day we give them that right. You see, when successful divisive lobby agendas such as this one and the growing fat pandemic scam work, as designed and divide us to a degree that we can't solve these issues on our own, as we have done in respect to smoking for many years. The government claims a right to act in a paternalist duty, to solve the issue even to a point that no real issue ever existed without their helping hands. Your taxes are being used to promote an agenda inspiring nothing more important than hatred, not unlike the same one used by Hitler in a reductionist eugenicist role, first giving rights to children and animals, with the former to be protected against; their assumed dangerous parents by wide brush, and later in a view that no adult could be assumed more relevant than a protected child and the state assumes the role of parentage over children at all ages. If you believe your body is so delicate that a little tobacco smoke is of more of a concern, that your rights and freedom, your body must be in pretty bad shape to begin with, and you should be getting your affairs in order, because I suspect you won't be with us for long. If you also agree that the Government and it's paid lobbies, make better parents than you or anyone else and also agree that you do not have the maturity to protect yourself against an unpleasant odor? Well your speak for yourself, where most would simply walk away. There is no good reason people can not work out these issues, outside of paternalist government actions which mean nothing in the realm of health issues, and everything in the realm of moralist issues. They separate church and state for good reason, because given license Governments always digress to cult propagandist activities, Kool Aid and all. Can you hear the jack Boots. Keep whining on command and the noise will attenuate in lock step. This was always about selling hatred to the majority by advertising agency sloganeering "No safe level" is a phrase which affords absolutely no information; funny how it afforded so much to so many. Your being had, by manipulators who believe you will fall for anything, open your eyes and follow the money. The truth of all of this comes into focus immediately. Vote them all out or live under fascist tyranny. Choice is a legitimate right we are loosing an ad campaign at a time.