The School From our Dean Smoke-free campus | UNC campus declared smoke-free, effective January 1, 2008 |
| November 02, 2007 | |
New no-smoking rule applies within 100 feet of all campus buildingsTo faculty, staff and students at the School of Public Health:  For many
years, UNC has banned the use of tobacco products in classrooms, offices,
eating areas, and all other interior spaces.
On July 4, 2007, the policy was expanded to prohibit the use of tobacco
anywhere on the property of UNC Health Care.
Now, the rest of our campus will have a smoke-free policy as well. The
Chancellor and many others in the University community have worked diligently
in this effort to safeguard our faculty, students, staff and visitors from the
hazards of second-hand smoke. Every year,
nearly a half-million people die from smoking-related diseases.
Second-hand smoke is a risk to nonsmokers. It is estimated that
more than 35,000
Americans die each year from exposure to second-hand smoke. In
North Carolina, between 1,220 and 2,180
adults, children and babies die each year from others' smoking. "First-hand"
use of tobacco products, of course, takes an even greater toll. As students,
practitioners and teachers of public health, we are guardians of our own good
health--and role models for others. We at the School
of Public Health commend the Chancellor's decision to make our campus a safer,
healthier place to work and study. If you are a smoker now, and wish to stop, there are many resources available at UNC. We know that it is not easy to quit smoking, but millions of people have quit for good.
I want to
thank Cathy Melvin, Kurt Ribisl, Brenda Motsinger, and Ernie Patterson for
their concerted efforts to achieve this policy. Thank you
for your cooperation and support as we work to make our campus a cleaner,
healthier place. Warm regards, Barbara K. Rimer, DrPH |
|
| Last updated August 28, 2008 |
