Health Sciences Smoke-Free Initiative

To promote health and disease prevention, all academic and clinical locations are smoke-free.

Since late September 2009, UC San Diego Health Sciences has prohibited smoking in all its buildings and outdoor areas. For full details, view the Health Sciences Smoke-Free Campus Pilot Policy (PDF), or see the campus notice about it. The policy applies to Health Sciences campuses, which include:

• Clinical, research, and education facilities at the School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Health System complexes in Hillcrest and La Jolla

Note: This policy goes beyond the UCSD Smoke-Free Policy (PPM 270-7), which currently prohibits smoking in any indoor area, or within 25 feet of a doorway, entryway, operable window or ventilation intake duct to any facility.

Why is Health Sciences now smoke-free?

• Cigarette smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke causes extensive lung and heart disease.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), smoking causes:
  •  At least 30 percent of all cancer deaths
  •  Early cardiovascular disease and deaths
  •  Nearly 80 percent of deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Second-hand smoke also increases the risk of illness.
• Health care costs caused by smoking are enormous. The most recent data from the CDC state that the annual smoking-attributable health-care expenditures in the U.S. are approximately $96 billion.
• It's important for the educational, research, and clinical facilities to provide a smoke-free environment as part of Health Sciences’ leadership role in health promotion/ disease prevention.
• It's important to provide a smoke-free environment for young adults, who studies show are more likely to start smoking if they are exposed to others smoking.

Smoking cessation resources

The following are available to help smokers successfully quit, substantially improving their health:

• General cessation resources (PDF)
• Cessation resources for employees (PDF)
• Quitting Smoking guide, including information on:
  • Quitting Today
  • Thinking About Quitting?
  • Dealing With Relapse
  • Trying to Quit Smokeless Tobacco
• Interactive tools:
  
  • How Does Smoking Affect Your Lifespan?
  • How Much is Smoking Costing You?

UC San Diego Health System locations are 100% smoke-free; smoking is not allowed on hospital grounds or within the buildings. There are no designated smoking areas and we ask that you respect our neighbors by not smoking on their property.

Enforcement

All employees and students share the responsibility of enforcing smoking policies through education and example. This includes approaching violators to remind them of the policy.

Success of this policy depends on the consideration and cooperation of everyone who works, studies, or is a patient or visitor on the academic and Health System campuses.

Human Resources

Smoke-Free Workplace

• Health Sciences Initiative