The process began 11 years ago: The University of Oregon was going to become a smoke and tobacco-free campus, a policy pioneer among Pac-12 schools.

That process came to fruition in 2012, when the UO campus went completely smoke-free. Signs were erected around campus and cigarette butts began to disappear from paths and lawns.

That success recently landed Paula Staight, director of health promotions at the UO, in front of a camera for one in a series of videos produced by the state to promote smoke- and tobacco-free policies. The series focuses on people around the state, dubbed “Tobacco Heroes,” who have helped establish policies that encourage smoke-free environments.

Overcoming her discomfort of being on camera, she discussed the positive outcomes of the policy change and the long process of making it a reality.

“I’m so passionate about tobacco control that I’m willing to have some internal discomfort of having myself out there,” she said.

The UO’s journey to tobacco-free status began in 2003, when the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center approached the UO with an appealing offer: They had a grant to work with universities on implementing tobacco-free policies, and wanted the UO to become one of the first major schools in the region to go smoke- and tobacco-free.

Challenge accepted.

Students were educated about the influence and advertising strategies of major tobacco companies. Free nicotine patches and gum were made available in the campus health center.

In 2010, after many years of debate within student government, then-ASUO president Amelie Rousseau organized campus leaders, students and faculty and announced that the UO would finally be smoke- and tobacco-free within two years.

On Sept. 1, 2012, the policy went into effect.

After so many years of tackling the issue locally, the UO Health Center’s fight for a healthier campus is now part of an effort to motivate thousands of people across the state. Staight hopes their efforts will continue to combat the wealth of resources available to tobacco companies.

“The tobacco industry has so much money, and all of us in our tiny little public health departments have a lot less resources, but we’re always looking for ways to counter their marketing ability,” she said.

Although Staight acknowledges there is more work to be done, the university now has been completely smoke and tobacco-free for nearly two years.

“It just fits into the image of the university,” Staight said. “The policy is just an extension of the sustainable, healthy image of Oregon and of TrackTown. The University of Oregon community should be very proud.”

―By Nathaniel Brown, Public Affairs Communications intern