WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University is looking for feedback from faculty, staff and students regarding a proposal for a smoke-free campus.

“Purdue is considering whether the West Lafayette campus will join the more than 300 universities nationwide that are smoke free,” said Alphonso V. Diaz, executive vice president for business and finance treasurer. “We are considering this policy change because the health of our students, staff, faculty and visitors is a great concern. A number of health problems are linked to smoking as well as secondhand smoke, and this is why smoking cessation programs are available through the Student Wellness Office and WorkLife Programs for those who are ready to quit.”

Heart disease, cancer and respiratory problems are just some of the issues linked to smoking and secondhand smoke. Smoking by faculty and staff also leads to increased medical costs, higher insurance rates, maintenance expenses, lower productivity and higher absenteeism rates for the university, Diaz said.

Before making any policy changes, feedback from the campus community is needed. Information about the proposed change and a place to submit feedback is available at http://www.purdue.edu/policies/pages/about_policies/smoking.shtml. Feedback will be gathered until Nov. 1.

The current policy at the West Lafayette campus allows smoking outdoors at a distance of at least 30 feet from university facilities and in designated areas within the Union Club Hotel. The new policy would prohibit smoking indoors and outdoors on the entire grounds of the campus as well as in all vehicles owned or leased by Purdue. If approved, the new policy would go into effect on July 1, 2010.

In the Big Ten, the University of Iowa has the same campus-wide no smoking policy that Purdue is considering. Indiana University has a similar policy, but exceptions are made near student resident facilities and the Indiana Memorial Union Conference Center with approval. Other Big Ten universities have smoking policies, but they include variances and exceptions. All Purdue regional campuses have non-smoking policies, but details of each are set by administrators at those locations.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Personality traits associated with chronic worrying can lead to earlier death, at least in part because these people are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, according to research from Purdue University.

The study found that people who have worrying tendencies or stress easily are more likely to self-medicate with hazardous behaviors like smoking or excessive consumption of alcohol.

“Research shows that higher levels of neuroticism can lead to earlier mortality, and we wanted to know why,” said Daniel K. Mroczek, a professor of child development and family studies. “We found that having worrying tendencies or being the kind of person who stresses easily is likely to lead to bad behaviors like smoking and, therefore, raise the mortality rate.

“This work is a reminder that high levels of some personality traits can be hazardous to one’s physical health.”

Chronic worrying, anxiety and being prone to depression are key aspects of the personality trait of neuroticism. In this study, the researchers looked at how smoking and heavy drinking are associated with the trait. A person with high neuroticism is likely to experience anxiety or depression and may self-medicate with tobacco, alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism.

They found that smoking accounted for about 25 percent to 40 percent of the association between high neuroticism and mortality. The other 60 percent is unexplained, but possibly attributed to biological factors or other environmental issues that neurotic individuals experience, Mroczek said.

The researchers analyzed data of 1,788 men and their smoking behavior and personality traits over a 30-year period from 1975 to 2005. The data was part of the VA Normative Aging Study, which is a long-term study of aging men based at the Boston VA Outpatient Clinic.

Mroczek and his co-authors, Avron Spiro III and Nicholas A. Turiano, published their findings in this month’s Journal of Research in Personality.

A better understanding of the bridge between personality traits and physical health can perhaps help clinicians improve intervention and prevention programs, Mroczek said.

“For example, programs that target people high in neuroticism may get bigger bang for the buck than more widespread outreach efforts,” he said. “It also may be possible to use personality traits to identify people who, because of their predispositions, are at risk for engaging in poor health behaviors such as smoking or excessive drinking.”

The National Institute on Aging and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs supported this work.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Leaders of Indiana’s major faith denominations today joined the fight to reduce the devastating effects of tobacco-caused death and disease in Indiana by asking legislators to pass a comprehensive smokefree law that protects every Hoosier’s right to breathe clean, smokefree air. Faith leaders will march to the State House and assemble candles into a super-size no-smoking symbol in an effort to help lawmakers “see the light on smokefree air.”

Leaders from a diverse array of faith denominations will join together at the Smokefree Indiana Legislative Luncheon hosted today by the Hoosier Faith and Health Coalition. More than 75 faith and health leaders will gather at the State House rotunda at 2 p.m. to show support and push for a comprehensive smokefree law that protects all Hoosier kids and workers from tobacco.

“We in the faith community know what must be done to protect the countless number of Indiana residents who are still exposed to the serious health harms of secondhand smoke,” said Rev. Daniel R. Gangler, co-convener of the Hoosier Faith and Health Coalition. “We have a moral obligation to urge our elected officials to see the light on smokefree air and pass this critical legislation because each and every one of our brothers and sisters deserves the right to breathe clean, smokefree air. As faith leaders, we cannot stand by idly, but must act to ensure that all Indiana residents have equal protection from the more than 4,000 chemicals found in secondhand smoke.”

As originally introduced, House Bill 1213 – sponsored by Representative Charlie Brown – was comprehensive, statewide smokefree legislation that would have protected all Indiana residents from the dangers of secondhand smoke. But the bill was significantly weakened before passing the House 70-26, and now includes massive unacceptable loopholes. The Hoosier Faith and Health Coalition and other health advocacy groups are pressing legislators to return to the original language and approve a comprehensive smokefree law that covers all workplaces, including restaurants, bars and casinos.

It’s time for Indiana to join the growing number of states and communities that have taken action to protect everyone’s right to breathe clean air. No one should have to choose between their health and a paycheck.

Facts about Secondhand Smoke and Smokefree Laws:

• Twenty-four states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico – as well as hundreds of cities and towns – have passed smokefree laws that cover restaurants and bars. The states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington.
• Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including at least 69 carcinogens. The Surgeon General found that secondhand smoke is a proven cause of lung cancer, heart disease, and serious respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome.
• The evidence is clear that smokefree laws protect health without harming business. As the Surgeon General concluded, “Evidence from peer-reviewed studies shows that smokefree policies and regulations do not have an adverse impact on the hospitality industry.”