WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) sent a letter to the president of Southern Connecticut State University to offer his support for their recent consideration to make the campus tobacco-free. Last year, Murphy wrote to college presidents across Connecticut to urge them to join the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Tobacco-Free College Campus initiative in order to reduce rates of tobacco-related disease. This initiative was developed by HHS, the American College Health Association, and the University of Michigan in 2012 to promote and support the adoption and implementation of tobacco-free policies at universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher learning across the United States.


“I applaud Southern Connecticut State University’s consideration to go tobacco-free,” said Murphy. “Going tobacco-free is one of the best ways a campus can help improve our nation’s public health. As we know, prevention and cessation efforts targeted at young adults, such as tobacco free campus initiatives, will lead to fewer adult smokers in the future and a healthier population since almost all smokers begin smoking or using other forms of tobacco by age 26. I encourage Southern to go tobacco-free and will do whatever I can to help them make this transition.”

The full text of the letter is below:

                                                                  January 15, 2015

Mary A. Papazian

President

Southern Connecticut State University

501 Crescent Street

New Haven, CT 06515

Dear Ms. Papazian:


I understand that you are considering making Southern Connecticut State University’s campus tobacco-free. I applaud this effort and wanted to remind you of the resources that are available through the Tobacco-Free College Campus Initiative (TFCCI) that can assist in this effort.  According to the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation, there are over 1,500 smoke-free campuses, of which over 1,000 are tobacco-free.


Just last week marked the 51st anniversary of the landmark report by the Surgeon General on the dangers of smoking. Since then, thirty other Surgeon General reports have linked smoking and secondhand smoke to other debilitating conditions, such as heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer.  While significant progress has been made since its release, it’s clear that there is still more work to be done. Today, approximately 42.1 million adults, in the United States smoke cigarettes and nearly 16 million people smoke tobacco in cigars or pipes. Tobacco use is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths a year in the United States, including over 40,000 from secondhand exposure.  Additionally, it is estimated that for each person who dies from a smoking-related disease, there are about 30 more people who suffer with at least one serious illness from smoking.


Prevention and cessation efforts targeted at young adults, such as tobacco free campus initiatives, will lead to fewer adult smokers in the future and a healthier population since almost all smokers begin smoking or using other forms of tobacco by age 26. Additionally, approximately one third of young adults from 18-25 years of age smoke and over 2,000 youth and young adults transition from occasional smokers to daily cigarette smokers each day.


As you may know, Norwalk Community College recently decided to become a tobacco-free campus and I know a similar decision by you would build momentum in the state. Best of luck in this effort and please let me know if I can be of assistance.


                                                                  Sincerely,


                                                                  Christopher S. Murphy

                                                                  United States Senator