A local university doesn’t plan on completely banning the use of tobacco on its territory – at least for now.
Wheeling Jesuit University spokeswoman Maureen Zambito said her school currently is not pursuing a policy aimed at increasing tobacco policies on campus. The problem occurred after it became clear during the recent Wheeling-Ohio County Board of Health meeting that the Health Department sent letters to three local colleges, encouraging administrators to the imposition of campus-wide policy of no tobacco. This will include chewing tobacco and cigarettes.
Officials and West Virginia Northern Community College and West Liberty University said they have investigated such a ban before the contact with the health department.
Zambito this week submitted a statement in response to queries about her plans for schools:
”Wheeling Jesuit University is always looking to expand and improve our policies and programs, but we have nothing more to tell at this point and time,” said Jim Holt, vice president of Institutional Advancement.
WJU campus is currently smoking, except in limited designated areas, Holt said.
Administrator Howard Gamble said the health department is ready to help any company or organization to expand its policy of tobacco.
In Ohio, county health department has already prohibits smoking inside buildings and bars. The Council was considering extending its rule to include gaps in the currently released – video gambling parlors, video gambling areas inside the bar, as well as tables and video gaming zones within the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack. However, after much public debate, the Council said he did not have enough public support for expanding the rule, ultimately his table for an indefinite period.
We remain in contact with both WLU and WVNCC on their efforts to the Tobacco Free to go. In the near future we will again go to WJU is going to discuss the Tobacco Free Initiative and the assistance we can provide them at the time. (Health Department) works with all three agencies for a variety of issues and will continue to cooperate with them in health and public health,” said Gamble.
According to the American Lung Association, 258 colleges and universities across the country have passed the Tobacco Free, including the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. Schools in Ohio, which the Tobacco Free is: Ashland University, Hocking College and Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Tobacco is an annual or bi-annual growing 1-3 meters tall with large sticky leaves that contain nicotine. Native to the Americas, tobacco has a long history of use as a shamanic inebriant and stimulant. It is extremely popular and well-known for its addictive potential.
Nicotiana rustica leaves.
Nicotiana rustica leaves have a nicotine content as high as 9%, whereas Nicotiana tabacum (common tobacco) leaves contain about 1 to 3%
A cigar is a tightly rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco which is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Sumatra, Philippines, and the Eastern United States.
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as an organic pesticide, and in the form of nicotine tartrate it is used in some medicines. In consumption it may be in the form of cigarettes smoking, snuffing, chewing, dipping tobacco, or snus.
