Report on Smoke-Free Policies at Michigan Universities

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The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Tobacco Section has released a report titled "Smoke-Free Report Card: University of Michigan", which outlines the current status of smoke-free and tobacco-free policies on Michigan campuses.

North Michigan University (NMU) receives a C grade. According to the report, NMU only permits smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes in parking lots and private vehicles.

Northern Michigan University is proud to be a smoke-free campus and is committed to providing a healthy environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors," the university said in a statement. "NMU implemented its tobacco ban on August 1, 2014. Our comprehensive campus policy provides two exceptions: enclosed private vehicles and the university-owned golf course. Health and wellness are top priorities at NMU, and the smoke-free campus policy is a significant part of these efforts.

Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State University have received an A grade for their 100% smoke-free policies, including electronic cigarettes. Finland University has received a C grade and only allows smoking, including electronic cigarettes, in parking lots and private cars.

Bay College has received an A+ rating due to its 100% smoke-free policy, which includes all commercial tobacco and synthetic nicotine products.

The Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa community college, which permits smoking (including e-cigarettes) in designated areas, has been given a grade of D. Meanwhile, Gogebic community college received an F for only having a policy that covers the immediate vicinity of entranceways.

Bay Mills Community College received a D grade due to its policy regarding designated smoking areas.

The Chief Medical Executive of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, stated in a release that the MDHHS appreciates schools with 100% smoke-free campuses and encourages all campuses to achieve the same. "Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death and disability in Michigan, and at least 99% of smokers begin before the age of 26.

In Michigan, adult e-cigarette use is highest among young people. Implementing a smoke-free policy on college campuses is an effective strategy to prevent tobacco use among young individuals and assist current users in quitting.

A report states that currently, one third of campuses have implemented a 100% smoke-free campus policy. The report includes a list of universities in Michigan and their scores obtained as a result of their current tobacco policies, as well as an explanation of the detailed scoring method.

The report includes information about tobacco use, exposure to second-hand smoke, smoke-free policies, and how to obtain technical assistance to improve smoke-free policies.

We encourage the University of Michigan to use this report card as a tool to improve the health of its students and faculty members. These policies aim to change social norms, prevent smoking, reduce secondhand smoke and aerosols, and encourage quitting," said Amanda Gallagher, the author of the Smoke-Free Tobacco Report Card in a statement.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Tobacco Control Program provides training and technical assistance to support smoke-free and tobacco-free campus policies.

Only about one-third of the areas have 100% smoke-free policies, including 37% of public communities, 43% of public four-year or other colleges and universities, and 32% of private colleges and universities.

According to a report, the majority of colleges and universities in Michigan have smoke-free or tobacco-free policies that also apply to electronic cigarettes. This includes at least 80% of public community colleges, 71% of public four-year institutions and other public colleges, and 63% of private colleges and universities. Other policies either do not include e-cigarettes or are indeterminate.

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