Trinity University will become a tobacco-free campus on Aug. 1, 2017 in support of the University's commitment to holistic wellness. "According to the Surgeon General, tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in this country," said President Danny Anderson. "As an institution of higher education, Trinity strives to provide a safe and healthy environment for our students, faculty, staff, and visitors in which to learn and work."
When the tobacco-free campus policy goes into effect, the use of any tobacco product will be prohibited on University property. The tobacco prohibition includes, but is not limited to cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco, and any other products usually identified with tobacco use. This prohibition includes Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, e-cigarettes, and vaping.
Becoming a 100% tobacco-free campus has been a four year process for Trinity. In preparation for this initiative the Safety, Security and Health Committee sought the endorsement of the President's office, the Faculty Senate, University staff, and the Student Government Association.
There are more than 20 colleges and universities in Texas that are tobacco-free. However, the majority of these tobacco-free campuses are public institutions. This is an opportunity for Trinity to be a leader in wellness for private universities not only in San Antonio, but in Texas.
Key motivators that led to Trinity to the decision to become a 100% tobacco-free campus are:
- The 2014 Surgeon General's report on the health hazards caused by cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and secondhand smoke;
- The American College Health Association's (ACHA) Position Statement on Tobacco on College and University Campuses
Trinity's longitudinal Health and Wellness Survey was administered to current students in January 2017. This data showed that during the fall semester, 85 percent of Trinity students never smoked tobacco. These statistics reassure us this policy is congruent to our students' health and wellness needs.
The tobacco-free policy and smoking cessation resources can be found at gotu.us/tobaccofree.
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