HOUSE MEMORIAL 43

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Danice Picraux

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADMINISTRATION IN THE OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR FOR HEALTH SCIENCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER TO CREATE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY HOW TO IMPLEMENT A "CLEAN AIR ON CAMPUS ACT".

     WHEREAS, colleges and universities have an obligation to provide a safe environment for students, employees and visitors; and

     WHEREAS, Iowa and Arkansas have passed legislation that prohibits smoking on all public college and university campuses; and

     WHEREAS, the 2006 surgeon general's report on secondhand smoke concluded that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke; and

     WHEREAS, the 2009 report by the institute of medicine stated that exposure to secondhand smoke can result in adverse health effects, including heart disease in nonsmoking adults; and

     WHEREAS, the 2010 report released by the surgeon general states that inhaling even the smallest amount of tobacco smoke can damage DNA, which can lead to cancer; and

     WHEREAS, field studies indicate that outdoor tobacco smoke does not immediately dissipate and that exposure levels may be as high outdoors as indoors; and

     WHEREAS, three hundred thirty New Mexico adult nonsmokers die each year from exposure to secondhand smoke; and

     WHEREAS, each year, smoking is directly responsible for four hundred sixty-one millions dollars ($461,000,000) in health care costs in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, twenty-four percent of New Mexico high school students smoke; and

     WHEREAS, a national study of college students found that twenty-eight percent of current smokers began to smoke regularly at age nineteen or older, during the time they were in college; and

     WHEREAS, smoking — and secondhand smoke — are serious public health issues and smoking should be banned on college and university campuses to prevent students who enter college or university from starting to smoke;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the associate vice president for administration in the office of the chancellor for health sciences at the university of New Mexico health sciences center be requested to convene a task force to study how to implement a "Clean Air on Campus Act" that would ban smoking on all public post-secondary educational institution campuses; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include representatives from the council of university presidents, New Mexico independent community colleges, the New Mexico association of community colleges and any other entity that the associate vice president for administration deems appropriate; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force submit a report, including recommendations for legislation deemed the "Clean Air on Campus Act", to the interim legislative health and human services committee by October 31, 2011; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the associate vice president for administration in the office of the chancellor for health sciences at the university of New Mexico health sciences center.

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