University of Georgia "Let's Clear the Air" tobacco ban

[ColoradoVapz]

Today I was messing around on the Internet and saw something sad about my alma mater. Starting Oct 1st they implemented a tobacco ban which includes e-cigs. If I had e-cigs while I was in college I bet I would quit smoking the real ones a long time ago. It's a shame that they have blindly stuck them into the same category and ban them "for the publics interest". I wrote the VP of Public Affairs at the university Tom Jackson asking him to reconsider this policy but I doubt he will even read the email. I wish I could do more but I am not sure what that would be.

 

[ColoradoVapz]

His email was tjackson@uga.edu

http://m.redandblack.com/uganews/ug...f42-1d94-11e4-8bd6-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm

http://m.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/georgia-campuses-enforce-tobacco-ban-starting-wedn/nhYbp/

 

[ColoradoVapz]

He actually replied really fast. Guess I will have to write a new letter.

Dear Mr. Xxxxx --

The policy was adopted by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and affects all 31 campuses of the University System. These decisions were not made at UGA.

Best regards, and thank you for your continue interest in UGA.

Tom Jackson

Thomas H. Jackson, Jr., Ph.D.
Vice President for Public Affairs
The University of Georgia

-----Original Message-----
From:xxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:xxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2014 2:52 PM
To: Tom Jackson
Subject: A quick letter from a graduate

Dear Sir:

I am writing this quick response to a article I read online about the new program at UGA called 'Let's Clean the Air'. I graduated from UGA years back and came to the school as a smoker. I also graduated and left the school as a smoker and continued to smoke until I found e-cigarettes. I tried everything available to help cessation and nothing ever helped until I started using e-cigs. These devices are no threat to the general public and it should be reconsidered allowing the use of these products on campus. I was shocked to see you banned them from the UGA campus as they are such great cessation devices. Did you even know the active ingredients in e-cig liquids are not made from tobacco but more common plants such as tomatoes? You should be ashamed that you ignorantly followed other uneducated policy makers who are banning these devices in public places left and right without knowledge of the risks. I pride myself as a graduated of the University of Georgia and a Bulldog but I am ashamed of it finding out this news today. Please reconsider your policy and actually help student and facility. I am living proof that these devices help and I felt it was my obligation to at least speak out. I wish these products where around when I was in college. I would had stopped smoking years before I did if they were then.

Thank you for your time,

X

 

[bigdancehawk]

Good luck with the Board of Regents. I strongly suspect that Pfizer had a hand in this: "Trained UGA pharmacy students will lead the cessation programs, which are modeled after Pfizer’s Beat the Pack campaign."

You wrote, "Did you even know the active ingredients in e-cig liquids are not made from tobacco but more common plants such as tomatoes?"

Uh, no. The nicotine comes from tobacco plants.

 

[dragonpuff]

You wrote, "Did you even know the active ingredients in e-cig liquids are not made from tobacco but more common plants such as tomatoes?"

Uh, no. The nicotine comes from tobacco plants.

Yes, a better way to put it would be to say something like, e-cig liquids contain nicotine, which is also found in common plants such as tomatoes.

 

[Lilvapie]

Yes, a better way to put it would be to say something like, e-cig liquids contain nicotine, which is also found in common plants such as tomatoes.

Tomaccoes, luv em.

 

[Lori Brown]

I, myself, am also a UGA Alumni & hated to see this. If people were only more informed, they might just be embarrassed for the decisions they've made (putting smoking & vaping in the same catagory). I would love to find some great & CREDIBLE
Research & Studies to be able to inform as many people as possible. I live in Elberton, right outside of Athens. I'll do some research & I hope you will as well. We could share our research & consolidate it. GODAWGS!!!!

 

[skoony]

I, myself, am also a UGA Alumni & hated to see this. If people were only more informed, they might just be embarrassed for the decisions they've made (putting smoking & vaping in the same catagory). I would love to find some great & CREDIBLE
Research & Studies to be able to inform as many people as possible. I live in Elberton, right outside of Athens. I'll do some research & I hope you will as well. We could share our research & consolidate it. GODAWGS!!!!

try casaa.org,lots of good info there.
regards
mike

 

[H0llyw00d]

I have notice the people making these policies are generally non smokers. By "non smokers" I mean they have never smoked. They don't understand the addiction or how hard it is to kick the habit. I am also disappointed to see these blanket policies. I am still paying the smokers fee for my health insurance and will continue to until I can take a blood test for nicotine and pass it. During open enrollment this year the lady looked at me like I was crazy when I didn't want to sign a form stating I was a "tobacco user". Since I had only quit for a couple of days at the time I wasn't comfortable signing a statement that I didn't use tobacco yet. I wasn't sure if I could stick to it. But I told the lady from insurance if I was able to kick the habit I would NOT sign any form saying I was a tobacco user in 2015. On principle. I will not do it. They can charge me the fee if they feel the need, but until they at least edit the form to say nicotine user or something of that nature I will not sign it!!!!

 

[kingcobra]

So they are actually banning e cigs outside as well? That's just insane.

 

[r12773]

I go to Kennesaw State University and the policy is campus wide. They even have a website devoted to the policy and recommendations on how to approach people violating the policy along with a form to report violations.

 

[Steamix]

I go to Kennesaw State University and the policy is campus wide. They even have a website devoted to the policy and recommendations on how to approach people violating the policy along with a form to report violations.

Uhoh, I don't like the tendencies of that. Not one little bit....

 

[TheJester]

University of Delaware also instantiated a no smoking and no e-cigarette policy over the summer. I don't think people really care though. I have to say though, ever since they took the ash trays away most people are just chucking cigarette butts on the ground or into trashcans(bad call).

 

[caramel]

Did they also ban combustion engines on the premises (cars, lawn mowers etc)?