AUB Campus is Now Smoke-Free

No smoking signs at AUB's gates and throughout campus

Ushering in the beginning of a smoke-free campus, the Charles W. Hostler Student Center, whose facilities opened for use on May 23, was recently declared AUB's first entirely smoke-free area.

In July 2000, the AUB Board of Deans (BOD) passed a policy stipulating that all buildings on campus would become smoke-free, with the exception of private residences. Recognizing the health risks associated with firsthand and secondhand smoking, AUB's administration has been taking a number of measures since then to achieve that smoke-free target.

"Ideally, the campus will become completely smoke-free-an outcome that will require the rigorous collaboration of a number of parties at the University," said Dr. Ghassan Hamadeh the head of Family Medicine and a member of the Tobacco Free Campus Initiative (TFCI). He said the Wellness Program of the Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management began by addressing smoking cessation issues on campus and consequently implemented a full-fledged campaign to deal with the matter.

According to Jihad Makhoul, associate professor and acting chair of the Department of Health Behavior and Education of the Faculty of Health Sciences, the TFCI initiative was established and supported by the Committee on University Wellness. "TFCI is a group of people who believe that tobacco smoking is a problem on campus, especially now that tobacco companies are intensifying their advertising to youth in our region. We feel something should be done about smoking on campus to reduce the harmful effects both on smokers and others from secondhand smoke."

The idea originated in an early meeting of the Committee on University Wellness and the initiative received the support of the University Student Faculty Committee, the Board of Deans, the Office of Student Affairs, and other administrative units, said Makhoul. "TFCI prepared a comprehensive plan in May 2007 to gradually spread the message about tobacco on campus, lay the groundwork through surveys and awareness activities, and advocate for change in policy."

Makhoul also noted that some faculties were actually moving forward on their own to make their courtyards smoke-free, that no smoking signs were already appearing on campus, and that a limited number of benches designated for smokers had been assigned. The smoking policy was modified as well to include defining what makes a smoke-free area on campus, proper safety precautions, restrictions on sale and advertisement of tobacco products on campus, and compliance and implementation of the smoking policy on campus.

An implementation plan to enforce a smoke-free campus is in progress. In addition to spreading awareness and news regarding smoking hazards and the reasons why AUB should be a smoke-free campus, TFCI will start an alternative for smokers by launching a smoking cessation program for those who want to quit.