OCTC - TOBACCO FREE CAMPUS: July 1, 2012

Owensboro, Ky. (August 10, 2011) Owensboro Community amp; Technical College students, faculty and staff who smoke will have a year to kick the habit. If not for good, then at least on campus. Until then smoking is allowed in designated areas on the Main and Downtown campuses.

This summer the college adopted a policy to ban tobacco use on all campuses by July 1, 2012. The Southeastern Campus, located behind Daviess County High School has already implemented the policy due to the fact that many of the students who attend classes at that campus are dually enrolled high school students. I believe that the committee differentiated this campus due to the close proximity to DCHS which is also tobacco free. Said Dr. Jim Klauber, president of OCTC.

Other colleges in Kentucky that are smoke free include: UK, U of L, Ashland Community amp;Technical College, Bellarmine University, KWC, Morehead State University, Pikeville College, Spalding University, St. Catharine College, and Union College. Several other community colleges in Kentucky are in the process of implementing tobacco free policies.

We formed the committee over a year ago to recommend policies in regard to tobacco use because we were having multiple issues. Smoke from outdoor areas was getting in the buildings through vents and creating health hazards, cigarettes discarded in the mulch were creating fire hazards, and we were expending additional time and money to clean up cigarette and tobacco waste. Ultimately it is better, healthier, and more cost effective for our campuses to be tobacco free. said Klauber.