Hi Meg, We also considered adding the e-cigarettes to our policy. As I studied about the issue I have found the following, which I hope are helpful: 1) E-Cigs have not been researched and not approved by the FDA 2) There is no indication they actually help quitting smoking 3) The method to inhale the nicotine is not regulated (thus one can get more nicotine into their system than needed) 4) They way they operate has a small heating element inside, thus possibly creating issues of using them in libraries and dorms 5) They actually do have a great deal of chemicals in them and in the vapor that can harmful - Acetone, Cresol, Xylene, Styrene, b-Nicotyrine, ethyl alcohol, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, nicotine, and propylen glycol. All these in the vapors alone and some have been found to cause cancer and other negative health effects. And so the second hand impact from the vapor can be an issue. 6) Five minutes of e-cigarette use has lung effects similar to tobacco smoking. 7) Part of the marketing suggesting it helps quitting or healthier have actually not be scientifically proven. I have found this information at the Kentucky Center for Smoke-free policy at the U of Kentucky College of Nursing. www.kcsp.uky.edu. This site provides much more information about this issue. I don't mean to come off as biased against or anything (as a ex-smoker of 22 years), just that I like to rely on facts when developing such policies, and thought these might be helpful. It seems that at the federal level these will be regulated as a tobacco product, and the FDA is working on regulations. Hope this helps
Oren Oren Yagil, PhD Vice Chancellor for Academic Planning and Partnerships Nebraska State College System 1327 H St., Suite 200 Lincoln, NE 68508 (402) 471-2505 | [email protected] Three Colleges. Thousands of Opportunities. Chadron State. Peru State. Wayne State >>> "Resue, Margaret" <[email protected]> 02/27/2014 09:41 >>> Colleagues, Does anyone have a policy that addresses the ‘new smokeless cigarettes’ on campus or more specifically in class? Since our current policy does not cover the ‘new electronic’ cigarettes, students are pushing the envelope by ‘smoking’ on these during classes to the distraction of other students and their professors. Thank you, Meg Resue Sr Executive Assistant, Institutional Compliance Gloucester County College 856-415-2101 [email protected] ATTN: Please be aware that when you respond to an ACUPA-L e-mail, the reply will be distributed to the ENTIRE e-listing of members. If you do NOT want to send an e-mail to everyone, please reply directly to the individual who initiated the query (their e-mail address appears in the "From" line of their original e-mail). If you wish to remove yourself from the ACUPA e-mail list, please go to this web address and fill out the form. We will remove you from the list within 24 hours during normal business hours. http://www.acupa.org/MembershipForm_Discontinue.html
