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The Texas Tribune
Texas A&M University System to ban vaping across all its campuses
By Shannon Najmabadi
Oct. 1, 2019
"This health threat is serious enough that I want to see the ban
include every building, outside space, parking lot, garage and
laboratory within the Texas A&M System," Chancellor John Sharp
wrote in a Tuesday memorandum.
Smoking is already banned on most parts of A&M's properties, but
this policy would be more stringent. Shelby Knowles for The Texas
Tribune
A ban on vaping will soon extend to "every inch" of the Texas A&M
University System, according to a Tuesday memorandum from Chancellor
John Sharp that cites recent revelations about how electronic cigarette
use or vaping can lead to lung illnesses.
"I do not want to take any unnecessary chances with the health of our
students, faculty and staff," Sharp wrote in a memo sent to the heads
of the system's 11 universities and eight state agencies. "This health
threat is serious enough that I want to see the ban include every
building, outside space, parking lot, garage and laboratory within the
Texas A&M System," as well as research facilities and other
properties.
Sharp said the ban should be instituted "as soon as is practical" and
that it would be "appropriate and responsible to stop selling any
e-cigarette products or vaping paraphernalia, if there are any points
of sale at any place within our vast system."
Smoking is already banned on most parts of A&M's properties, but this policy would be more stringent.
Sharp gave credit to A&M President Michael Young for being the inspiration for the ban.
An A&M System spokesperson, Tim Eaton, said he thought both Young
and Sharp "had serious concerns and wanted to address them in a real
and appropriate way." The system appears to be on the cutting edge of
institutions taking such an aggressive stance on the issue, he said.
The University of Texas System has banned tobacco — including vaping
and e-cigarettes — at its 14 institutions since 2017. A spokeswoman,
Karen Adler, said it was the first public university system in Texas to
become fully tobacco free, and it has sought to share best practices
through an Eliminate Tobacco Use initiative.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health
authorities are investigating an outbreak of lung problems linked to
vaping. So far, the centers have reported that 805 people across the
country have lung injuries tied to e-cigarette use, and a dozen have
died. Authorities have urged people to refrain from using the products
while the outbreak is being investigated and recommended that pregnant
women and youths abstain in general.
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