PRESS RELEASES
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Paulin's Legislation to Ban Smoking in College Dorms Passes the Assembly and Senate
Assemblywoman Amy Paulin has announced today that her legislation (A.420b) to prohibit smoking in student residential facilities in private and public colleges and universities has passed the Assembly and Senate. This bill is intended to mitigate the possibility of fire, eliminate the adverse health effects of second-hand smoke, and reduce the number of college students who become regular smokers.
In the last ten years, two college residential hall fires in New York State have resulted in fatalities, which, according to Paulin, was “two too many.” In a study published in 2000 by the Governor’s Task Force on Campus Fire Safety, they reported an average of more than 300 fires per year on New York college campuses, 160 of which were serious enough to require a call to the local fire department.
Although many schools offer smoke-free rooms or dormitories, too many students still find themselves surrounded by smoke. In this case, students aren’t only exposed to the carcinogens from cigarettes but, statistically they are more inclined to take up the habit as well, while in smoke-free dorms the risk is greatly reduced. “We want to encourage students to adopt healthy habits and respect the environment we all share. This means keeping cigarettes out of college dormitories,” stated Assemblywoman Amy Paulin.
Additionally, the presence of smoking in dorms harms the health of all residents. College students who smoke have higher rates of respiratory infections, yet those who share living quarters with smokers are also at serious risk. Second hand smoke has been classified as a Group A carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, since it contains over 40 chemicals known to cause cancer in humans. Nationwide, 62,000 non-smokers die annually from second-hand smoke exposure.
“College students have a right to breathe clean air in their living spaces. Thank you and congratulations to Assemblywoman Paulin and Senator Leibell for their leadership and persistence in advancing this legislation. Since they first introduced their bill many colleges, including the entire State University system, have chosen to go smoke-free,” said Lillian Jones, Regional Advocacy Director, American Cancer Society. “Now we need Governor Paterson to take the next step and approve this legislation before August 15th, so that all college campuses can prepare to go smoke-free in September."
“Fire safety and personal health should be a high priority on all university campuses,” stated Paulin, “I am proud that New York has taken the lead to protect our children’s health and living spaces.”