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University of Florida begins tobacco-free campus policy July 1

June 23, 2010

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida will begin its tobacco-free campus policy on July 1.

Tobacco use will be prohibited on all university-owned properties, including the main campus, Eastside Campus on Waldo Road, P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School and Shands Healthcare facilities in Gainesville and Jacksonville. Parking lots and vehicles located on all university-owned properties are included. The policy applies to employees, patients, students and visitors. The University Athletic Association, UF’s Health Science Center and Shands HealthCare facilities adopted tobacco-free policies last fall.

UF joined with the Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau to help educate the nearly 4.5 million visitors who frequent various events, activities and programs on the UF campuses.

For the past month, UF’s Area Health Education Centers, known as AHEC, have joined with GatorWell to educate the faculty, staff, students and visitors about the 100 percent tobacco-free initiative. Free carbon-monoxide testing was offered to tobacco users, and the cessation classes were promoted.

The university continues to offer cessation classes. Most of the resources are free or are provided at low cost for employees and their families, including classes and products sponsored by AHEC. Employees will be permitted to attend classes during regularly scheduled work hours, as well as attend with their spouses or partners. For more information on the cessation products and resources, for UF employees, students and their families, visit: www.tobaccofree.ufl.edu.

Permanent signs will be installed on the campus during the week of June 28, and a July 1 ceremony at the Plaza of the Americas from 11:30 a.m. to noon is planned to recognize the Healthy Gators 2010 committee of faculty, staff and students instrumental in coordinating the effort to create a healthier campus. The Alachua County Health Department will present an award to UF for its tobacco-free efforts.

No citations will be issued to those who violate the policy. However, employees’ immediate supervisors will address any disciplinary issues. For students, the Office of Student Activities and Involvement will address students who don’t comply with the university policy. For visitors, enforcement of the regulation will be the responsibility of the person in charge of the facility or area in use at the time. The policy approved by the UF Board of Trustees can be found at: http://www.hr.ufl.edu/policies/tobaccopolicy.pdf.

An exception to the new tobacco-free policy may be designated by the university president. Tobacco use in designated areas of campus may be permitted for clinical treatment purposes. This includes smoking cessation programs and research-related programs.

Since 1992, the state of Florida has prohibited smoking in enclosed indoor areas and has forbidden designation of any smoking areas in educational facilities. In January 2007, UF has expanded the state prohibition by banning smoking within 50 feet of buildings on the Gainesville campuses.

UF is the first public university in the state to implement a tobacco-free policy. UF joins fewer than 400 smoke-free or tobacco-free campuses nationwide, according to the American Nonsmokers Rights Foundation.

For more information on the cessation products and resources for UF employees, students and their families, visit www.tobaccofree.ufl.edu.

UF-owned locations included in the policy:

  • UF Main Campus
  • Norman Hall
  • UF Eastside Campus, Waldo Road
  • PK Yonge Developmental Research School
  • UF Human Resource Services Building, University Avenue
  • UF Cultural Plaza on Hull Road
  • UF Milton Campus and Jay Research Facility in West Florida
  • UF-owned properties in Jacksonville