There are two competing discourses in the field of American Public Health. You either, a) have total and full responsibility as an individual to make rational choices in your self-interest; or, b) you cannot be capable of making those choices, so the State needs to make them for you. Fast food scapegoating and regulation and anti-smoking legislation are emblematic of the second kind of Public Health fascism, while HIV policy almost exclusively sides with the notion of the rational sexual actor.
Well my University has caved to the fascist demands of Public Health wonks and decided to make the campus "smoke-free." This is allegedly to "reduce the risks of second-hand smoke and ensure a healthier environment." Fuck you. It's about caving to a national movement that is equating smoking with sinning and demonizing "smokers" -- almost a new identity category in this witchhunt. My last university (San Francisco State) became smokefree while I was there and started handing out $150 tickets to anyone caught on campus doing the deed. That's right, $150. Fucked up isn't even the word.
Of course, President Coleman assures us that she'll offer us smokers free patches and "behavioral sessions" to help kick the habit. Word to Coleman: We don't want to kick the habit -- mind your own goddamn business. Again, I'm reminded how similar the anti-smoking movement resembles evangelical anti-gay rhetoric. "Behavioral sessions." And see this earlier post here on how "disgust" at smoking truly resembles "disgust" at homosexuality.
Here's Coleman's announcement.
To the campus community:
In our ongoing effort to create an environment that is healthy for all members of our community, the University of Michigan will become a smoke-free university by July 1, 2011. This will help reduce the risks of second-hand smoke and ensure a healthier environment for faculty, staff, students and visitors.
Several years ago we committed to the MHealthy initiative to improve the health of our community. The decision to become smoke free is a logical and important extension of that commitment, and an expansion of existing practice. The U-M Health System became smoke free in 1998 and the interiors of on-campus buildings are currently smoke free.
This new policy will apply to all U-M campuses. We will be deliberative as we enact this change, with input from the campus community on how best to put our new policy into practice, ensuring that the needs of our University's varied constituents are understood. To help make this transition a successful one, I have appointed a Smoke Free University Steering Committee, to be co-chaired by Kenneth Warner, dean of the School of Public Health, and Robert Winfield, U-M chief health officer and director of the University Health Service.
The committee and its subcommittees - which will involve smokers, non-smokers and former smokers - will address issues of student life, human resources, communications, grounds and facilities, and venues for visitors to the University's campuses. I have asked the committee to submit its recommendations by September 2010.
As we move toward our 2011 goal of being smoke free, the University will offer free behavioral sessions and selected over-the-counter smoking cessation products to faculty and staff, along with co-pay reductions for prescription tobacco cessation medicines. The University Health Service will offer students behavioral counseling and discounts on tobacco cessation aids.
To learn more about plans for a smoke-free University, please visit http://www.smokefree.umich.edu. Also, if you have suggestions or comments about this policy, please share them at smokefreeuniversity@umich.edu.
I look forward to working with you to improve the health and physical wellbeing of our community.
Sincerely,
Mary Sue Coleman
President
I agree that assuming that someone cannot make their own decisions is fucked up and no way to provide public health, but one cannot dispute the fact that second hand smoke is dangerous.
It is a known asthma trigger and causes great discomfort to those with chronic asthma disease. Second hand smoke is also implicated in lung cancer in non-smokers.
The National Cancer Institute has compiled a list of the effects of second hand smoke here:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/ETS
The awful effects of smoking and second hand smoke are quite well known. To protect non-smokers from the risks of smoke is reason enough to ban smoking.
Also, as a healthcare professional, I urge anyone who smokes at the University of Michigan to take the university up on their offer of free patches and free counseling. Quitting is very hard to do (I know, being a 1.5 pack/day ex-smoker) and research shows that patches and counseling (which are generally not cheap) increases success with quitting. I also believe that if you want to smoke, you have that right, and I don't really care, but I'd rather not inhale your smoke.
Danny, RN
I'm reposting this comment under my account because the original comment was messing up our system:
"While I think there's some credence to your theory of public health -- a)you have total and full responsibility as an individual to make rational choices in your self-interest; or, b) you cannot be capable of making those choices, so the State needs to make them for you. -- smoking is different than regulating fast food, sex, etc. As Danny points out in his comment, there is at least some evidence that second hand smoke is dangerous. If nothing else, it's highly irritating and can trigger allergies and asthma. I see it more akin to imposing sanitary conditions. We don't let people piss and shit on the street. Some hippie might claim that it's natural and eco friendly by saving water. Yeah, maybe, but it also is gross, potentially carries disease, and creates discomfort for other people. We also don't let people drive intoxicated or well above speed limits because they pose harm to others.
Mark, SF"