Northeast Ohio Medical University to go tobacco-free

The Northeast Ohio Medical University will ban all tobacco use on its campus beginning Nov. 1 – apparently becoming the first public institution in the state to respond to a recommendation by the Ohio Board of Regents that campuses become tobacco-free. Cleveland State University's board of trustees plans to adopt a policy in November. Other universities and community colleges in Ohio are developing or discussing a policy.

 The NEOMED board of trustees approved a resolution at its meeting Friday banning all tobacco on its campus, including in vehicles. It applies to employees, students and visitors. The policy says "interaction with smokers will be firm, but courteous and respectful." Those who violate the policy will first be reminded that NEOMED is smoke-free. Subsequent violations will result in disciplinary action similar to violating other NEOMED policies. The actions are outlined in the student handbook, employee handbook and university code of professional ethics. Visitors will be escorted off the property if they don't comply after an initial request.

 It will be difficult to find a place to smoke anywhere near campus. While most universities are adjacent to public property NEOMED, in Rootstown in Portage County, is rural. Smokers will have to go down the main driveway and cross Ohio 44 to light up. The board acted after administrators reviewed research, discussed the issue and received an endorsement by the NEOMED Student Council. The university will continue to offer and promote smoking cessation and nicotine replacement therapy, it said. Many services are provided at no cost or a reduced cost.

 Many colleges in Ohio banned smoking in buildings even before a state law went into effect in 2007 that restricts smoking inside most public places and workplaces. But students, staff and employees on most campuses can light up as they cross college greens and socialize away from buildings. Miami University had banned smoking on campus before the regents' recommendation. The University of Toledo bans all tobacco products but allows their use in seven huts around campus and in personal vehicles.

Several private colleges in the state have smoke-free campuses. The regents have said they hope that colleges will heed their concerns about the detrimental effects of tobacco on the health of employees and students. They approved a recommendation in July following a request by Cleveland Clinic officials. All Clinic facilities are smoke-free and it does not hire smokers. Dr. Eric Kodish, chair of the NEOMED board of trustees, is chairman of the department of bioethics at the Cleveland Clinic and felt strongly about the issue, a NEOMED spokeswoman said.