Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon’s largest college announced Thursday that it is snuffing out tobacco on its campuses. Rob Manning reports.

Portland Community College is the third Oregon college to forbid smoking and other tobacco uses anywhere on its property.

Oregon Health and Science University and the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine took the step last year.

Andrew Epstein is the college advocate for the American Lung Association of Oregon. He says PCC’s size and mission make the ban significant.

Andrew Epstein: “Community colleges have a big focus on access for all their students, and one of the biggest barriers to access is secondhand smoke, because if you have a condition like asthma, you really have to avoid secondhand smoke. In fact, secondhand smoke is hazardous for anyone that encounters it.”

PCC intends to phase out tobacco by moving smokers into temporary outdoor smoking areas for the upcoming school year.

In Fall 2009, the tobacco ban will go into full effect, across all eight of PCC's centers and campuses.

The American Lung Association is talking with the rest of Oregon’s community colleges and universities, about expanding the smoking ban.