All schools in University of Texas System to be tobacco free
All 14 institutions of the University of Texas System will be tobacco free by the end of this academic year. It will be the first public university system in Texas to become fully tobacco free. It's also the largest single employer in Texas to prohibit tobacco use in the workplace.
Policies vary by campus but officials say all policies prohibit all forms of tobacco use on the grounds in the buildings of facilities affiliated with the university.
Each campus is also providing prevention services to students and staff as well services to help people quit.
Officials say the goal is to make the environments for students, faculty, staff, patients and visitors healthier.
"The four top causes of death in Texas are heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory tract disease and stroke-all of which can be the direct result of tobacco use," said UT System Chief Medical Officer David Lakey, M.D. in a news release. "By reducing tobacco use, we can have a huge positive impact on the lives of our students, employees and communities. Furthermore, we can significantly reduce health care costs."
More than 228,000 students and 100,000 faculty and staff work and learn on UT System campuses.
You can get more information here.