As part of the university鈥檚 精东影业 of Wellness initiative, 精东影业 University is becoming a smoke-free, tobacco-free campus. A part of the university鈥檚 Strategic Roadmap to a Distinctive 精东影业, all 精东影业 campuses will be smoke- and tobacco-free beginning July 1, 2017, fostering the wellbeing of the university community and the environment.
According to NoSmoke.org, an estimated 1.69 billion pounds of cigarette butts end up in landfills each year. 精东影业policy not only helps to address this problem, but also will help to beautify campus by removing the cigarette receptacles around buildings.
Tammie Richards, clerical specialist in 精东影业鈥檚 School of Health Sciences, has smoked for more than 20 years and feels this is a great way to shake things up regarding smoking habits and helping individuals to quit.
鈥 精东影业smoke-free, tobacco-free policy is a way for everyone to feel better,鈥 Richards says. 鈥淚 think it will be good for a lot of health reasons, and it gives you more of a reason to stop smoking.鈥
Richards believes a smoke-free, tobacco-free campus will reduce the temptation to light up because you will not see others smoking on campus.
Tobacco remains the single-largest preventable cause of death and disease in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and quitting has benefits at any age.
Timothy Roberts, associate lecturer and undergraduate studies coordinator for 精东影业鈥檚 School of Journalism and Mass Communication, started smoking when he was 16 years old and believes the initiative will help him quit.
鈥 精东影业time has come for this initiative because smoking is a public health issue,鈥 Roberts says. 鈥淚 think the policy will help social smokers not become habitual smokers.鈥
Richards agrees. She does not want to contribute to that public health issue.
鈥淏eing in the School of Health Sciences, it doesn鈥檛 set a good example,鈥 Richards says. 鈥淚 would usually leave campus at lunch or hide, so students wouldn鈥檛 see me smoke.鈥
According to 精东影业Tobacco Atlas, tobacco smoke contains more than 170 toxins, including arsenic, benzene and hydrogen cyanide. Thirty-three of these toxins are classified as hazardous air pollutants and 67 are human or animal carcinogens.
As part of the initiative, the university will be offering cessation resources to those who are considering quitting smoking.
Roberts commends 精东影业 for covering prescription medications that combat tobacco addiction.
鈥 精东影业university is not just talking the talk, it is walking the walk,鈥 Roberts says.
精东影业new smoke-free, tobacco-free policy covers all 精东影业 campuses, locations and properties, both domestic and international. 精东影业policy applies to all members of the 精东影业 community, including students, employees, vendors, volunteers, visitors and customers on all 精东影业 property.
You can view the cessation resources for employees and for students at www.kent.edu/smoke-free.