Stetson rolls out Tobacco/Smoke-Free plan

Tobacco-free environmentalStetson University joins a growing list of U.S. colleges and universities to enact a policy to prohibit smoking and tobacco-related products beginning Aug. 1, 2014. The policy will affect Stetson’s residential campuses in DeLand and at the College of Law in Gulfport.

The policy prohibits all forms of tobacco use including e-cigarettes and a variety of smokeless products on Stetson buildings, structures, grounds, parking lots and in university and personal vehicles while on Stetson grounds.

“I am proud that Stetson University residential campuses will be completely smoke- and tobacco-free next August,” said President Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D. “Stetson is committed to providing a safe and healthy living, learning and working environment for our students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors.”

Stetson began implementing smoking restrictions in 2007 by banning smoking near buildings and air vents. The new policy is the result of several years of research, focus groups and a university task force that determined that smoking was inconsistent with the values of the university.

Stetson will offer a variety of resources to help members of the Stetson University community quit smoking, including a series of free education programs about smoking and free resources for those who want to quit, including cessation products and classes. The university task force determined, “Our university commitment to health and wellness, one of our shared values, requires us to protect non-smokers but also to support smokers in reconsidering a behavior that has been scientifically proven to have serious long-term health consequences.”

Compliance with this new policy rests with all members of the Stetson community. Community members are empowered to respectfully inform others about the policy and the ongoing effort to enhance awareness of and encourage compliance with this policy.  Violation of this regulation may result in corrective action under the Student Code of Conduct, Human Resources Policies and Procedures, or other applicable University Regulations or Policies. Visitors refusing to comply may be asked to leave campus.

Stetson will use the next 10 months to continue to educate the Stetson community and visitors about the new policy with a series of informational sessions, health fairs, human resource training sessions, student tours of campus, in marketing materials and on its website at stetson.edu/breathe-free.