Greensboro College To Eliminate Tobacco Use On Campus

Source from:  albany.dbusinessnews.com Monday, August 20, 2007 08/21/2007

Triad - Greensboro College announces a 100% Tobacco-Free Policy Dr. Craven Williams, president of Greensboro College (GC), will announce to the school's faculty on Friday that the College will adopt a 100 percent tobacco-free policy on its campus, beginning in the fall of 2008. The policy will ban tobacco use by anyone, anywhere and at anytime in buildings and on the grounds of Greensboro College, as part of an overall direction of the college toward health promotion and healthy lifestyles. This policy mirrors similar actions locally, such as Guilford County Schools' Tobacco Free School policy, passed in 2001, as well as SB 1086 making all school systems in North Carolina tobacco free by the fall of 2008. "We are pleased to adopt a policy that promotes healthy lifestyles for our students, faculty, staff and visitors," said Kathy Carstens, RN, clinic director at GC. She added, "Studies show that reducing tobacco use and eliminating second-hand smoke exposure, greatly decreases the chances of tobacco-related illnesses including cancer, stroke, heart and lung disease." Dr. Williams said, "By having this policy in place, we are giving everyone who attends, visits and works at Greensboro College a healthier and more beautiful campus. We are preparing our students for a workforce environment." The comprehensive policy was the product of eight months of work by a campus-wide task force evaluating tobacco use and attitudes among students, faculty and staff at Greensboro College. The group included representatives from the student body, faculty, staff and trustees and will guide a lengthy process of implementation beginning this fall semester. The year-long preparations will include cessation support services and training for staff, a health fair, other awareness and education initiatives, designing policy enforcement plans, town hall meetings for students, faculty and staff to voice ideas about policy implementation. Greensboro College is part of the Guilford County Tobacco Free College Consortium, funded by the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund (HWTF) Tobacco-Free Colleges initiative. As part of this statewide initiative, partner colleges and organizations work to establish smoke-free policies on NC campuses and to promote North Carolina 's Tobacco Use Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW) among college students. HWTF Chair and N.C. Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue said the new policy sends a strong message that the health of the entire Greensboro College family is a top priority for the school. "This is a critical step for Greensboro College as we continue to find ways to reduce the number of college students who use tobacco products," said Perdue. "If more policies like this are implemented, North Carolina could have the lowest middle school, high school and college smoking rates of any state in America." In 2005, HWTF awarded $1.6 million in grant funding to promote such policies on N.C. college campuses, making this initiative the first state-funded effort to prevent and reduce tobacco use among college-age youth in North Carolina . About Greensboro College: Greensboro College is primarily an undergraduate college, offering graduate programs in three areas. Coeducational and independent, the institution is located near downtown Greensboro, N.C. It was founded in 1838 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The College enrolls approximately 1,300 students from 25 states and 14 foreign countries; the school features strong liberal arts and a 16-sport athletic program. About the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund: The NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund funds programs that promote preventive health. Created by the General Assembly in 2000 to allocate a portion of North Carolina's share of the national tobacco settlement, HWTF has invested $127 million to support preventive health initiatives and $78 million to fund a prescription drug assistance program. For more information, please visit www.HealthWellNC.com. Enditem