Campus Community Rallies for the Sixth Anniversary of the Tobacco-free Policy
By Elizabeth Adams
University of Kentucky students, faculty and staff members will cheer for clear air as the campus celebrates the sixth year of the tobacco-free policy on Nov. 19.
The UK Tobacco-free Task Force, the Tobacco-free Take Action! Ambassador Program, University Health Service, the UK College of Pharmacy, the Student Health Advisory Council and UK Dining will host the annual Tobacco-free Tailgate: The Great American Smokeout celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of the Mining and Minerals Research Building on Rose Street. The tailgate includes giveaways, games, music and opportunities to learn about UK’s tobacco-free policy, as well as resources to quit or help someone quit using tobacco. The event is open to any member of the UK community.
UK cheerleaders will bring pep to the tailgate from noon to 1 p.m. The first 100 students to stop by the tailgate will receive a free t-shirt and UK Dining will provide free hot chocolate, s’mores and chili.
In the interest of promoting a healthy place to live, work, and learn for UK students, employees, patients and visitors, UK adopted the tobacco-free policy in 2009. The use of all tobacco products is prohibited on any property that is owned, operated or occupied by UK within Fayette County, which includes buildings, parking structures and lots, sidewalks, streets, and inside vehicles. Tobacco products are defined as all forms of tobacco, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookah, smokeless tobacco and electronic smoking devices. Everyone on campus — employees, students, patients, visitors, and vendors —are asked to respect others and adhere to the policy. Those who violate the policy could face corrective action.
This year, the UK Tobacco-free Task Force is recruiting campus-wide volunteers to serve as tobacco-free ambassadors. Tobacco-free Take Action! (TFTA!) is dedicated to helping make campus a healthy place to live, work and learn by promoting compliance with UK's tobacco-free policy. Our first group of volunteers has been identified and training is in process. Anyone interested can sign-up for spring semester. The 30-minute online training required for the program provides information on the policy, addresses how to approach violators of the tobacco-free policy, and how to report violations. To sign up for the volunteer program, go to: https://www.uky.edu/TobaccoFree/volunteersignup.
UK continues to offer many options to help employees, students and sponsored dependents quit using tobacco. For more information on quitting, go to www.uky.edu/tobaccofree.
Show your support for the tobacco-free campus on social media this week by using the hashtags #seeclear #seeblue.
