OSU-Tulsa is a Tobacco-Free Environment.

OSU-Tulsa is committed to promoting a healthier and safer campus environment for students, employees and visitors. Effective July 1, 2008, OSU-Tulsa will become a tobacco-free environment, prohibiting the use of all tobacco products anywhere on campus.

Tobacco use includes, but is not limited to, using or carrying a lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe or other lighted smoking device, or the use of smokeless tobacco, including snuff, chewing tobacco, smokeless pouches, or any other form of loose-leaf, smokeless tobacco.

To assist our students and employees, OSU-Tulsa is offering the following information on cessation programs, educational materials and other resources about the dangers of using tobacco and exposure to secondhand smoke.

Working together, all OSU-Tulsa students, employees and visitors can create a healthy environment to learn, work and live.

For Your Health

According to the American Lung Association, smoking-related diseases claim an estimated 430,700 American lives each year. Smoking costs the United States approximately $97.2 billion each year in health-care costs and lost productivity. It is directly responsible for 87 percent of lung cancer cases and causes most cases of emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Studies suggest that tobacco use increases your risk of getting many types of chronic diseases including:

• Cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, liver, cervix, stomach, colon and rectum, and some forms of leukemia
• Lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis
• Heart disease, stroke and coronary artery disease

Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar, and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers. This mixture contains more than 4,000 substances, more than 40 of which are known to cause cancer and many of which are strong irritants. Exposure to secondhand smoke is sometimes called involuntary smoking, or passive smoking.

Secondhand smoke is a known cause of cancer in humans and also causes heart disease and stroke. Passive smoking is estimated to cause more than 700 deaths in Oklahoma among nonsmokers each year.

To learn more about smoking and other tobacco-related diseases, visit the following:

American Cancer Society
1-800-ACS-2345

American Heart Association
1-800-AHA-USA1

American Lung Association
1-800-LUNG-USA

Smoking Cessation Resources

If you’re ready to stop smoking, but aren’t sure how to take the first step, contact one of the following resources:

Smoking Cessation Class
OSU Human Resources is offering a six-week smoking cessation class at OSU-Tulsa. The St. John Health System program is facilitated by Dr. Elizabeth Butler, a psychologist, who will visit OSU-Tulsa for one hour per session. She will also offer the option of adding up to two additional sessions for assistance with relapse prevention and maintenance. This class has not been scheduled and is dependant upon a minimum number of participants. If you are interested or would like additional information on the program, please email tulsa.tobaccofree@okstate.edu. 

 Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust
The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust has developed an interactive web site which provides free coaching sessions, personal tracking tools and discussion forums for those who want to quit using tobacco. Web site access is granted by calling 1-800-784-8669.  For a limited time, Oklahomans who call the telephone coaching service will also receive a free two-week starter kit of nicotine patches or gum delivered to their homes. 

To learn more or to join, call 1-800-784-8669 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. seven days a week. 

Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline
The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is a free service for all Oklahomans that can help you quit tobacco. When you make the free call, you’ll talk with a trained Quit Coach who has helped hundreds of people quit. Together, you’ll create a quit plan just for you.

Studies show smokers who use a helpline are four times more likely to quit than if they try to quit on their own. Friendly coaches also offer support if tough times arise and you’re tempted to slip.

Tools to succeed:

• Free info on quitting tobacco
• One-on-one telephone coaching
• Referrals to local programs in your community

You will learn how to:

• Plan your quit to improve your chance of success
• Cope with cravings
• Find things you can do with your hands
• Change behavior patterns that remind you to smoke or chew.

1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669)
Spanish: 800-793-1552
Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 877-777-6534
Helpline Hours: 7 days a week; 7 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline

Tuesday, July 1, 2008
OSU-Tulsa Goes Tobacco Free Today
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TULSA – Today, Oklahoma State University-Tulsa joins OSU’s Stillwater campus in becoming a tobacco-free environment.

Dr. Ron Bussert, OSU-Tulsa vice president for administration and finance, said the university has been working hard to create a campus culture focused on wellness.

“We’re all aware of the widely-reported health hazards related to tobacco use and secondhand smoke,” Bussert said. “This is an effort to provide a healthier and safer environment for all members of our campus community.”

With the new policy, OSU-Tulsa prohibits the use of all tobacco products anywhere on campus. Tobacco use includes, but is not limited to, using or carrying a lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe or other lighted smoking device, or the use of smokeless tobacco, including snuff, chewing tobacco, smokeless pouches, or any other form of loose-leaf, smokeless tobacco.

OSU’s Center for Health Sciences campus in Tulsa has been tobacco free since 1998, while OSU-Oklahoma City became a tobacco-free campus on January 1. Bussert said OSU-Tulsa’s change to a tobacco-free campus has been in the planning stages for more than a year.

“Last year, we began our efforts by reducing the number of designated smoking areas to three isolated locations around campus,” Bussert said. “We’ve also communicated regularly with our students, faculty, staff and visitors about our plans to become tobacco free and offered various resources to those who wanted to quit.”

The university is still offering free smoking cessation classes, educational materials and other resources to those who wish to stop smoking or using other tobacco-related products. Information is available by emailing tulsa.tobaccofree@okstate.edu.

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Wednesday, June 11, 2008
OSU-Tulsa Goes Tobacco Free July 1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TULSA – Oklahoma State University-Tulsa will become a tobacco-free campus on Tuesday, July 1.

In order to promote a healthier and safer campus environment for students, employees and visitors, OSU-Tulsa will prohibit the use of all tobacco products anywhere on campus.

Tobacco use includes, but is not limited to, using or carrying a lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe or other lighted smoking device, or the use of smokeless tobacco, including snuff, chewing tobacco, smokeless pouches, or any other form of loose-leaf, smokeless tobacco.

In January, OSU-Tulsa officials made plans to join OSU’s Stillwater campus in becoming tobacco free this summer. OSU-Tulsa formed a Tobacco-Free Committee that worked with students, faculty and staff on the implementation of this initiative, encouraging a positive, smooth transition to a tobacco-free campus.

Last year, OSU-Tulsa implemented the first phase of its plan to become tobacco free by reducing the number of designated smoking areas to three isolated locations around campus.

Free smoking cessation classes, educational materials and other resources are available to those who wish to stop smoking or using other tobacco-related products. For more information, email tulsa.tobaccofree@okstate.edu.

News Contacts:

Mary Bea Drummond
918-594-8223

Trish McBeath
918-594-8360