As of January 1, 2013, a tobacco-free policy, approved by the Shady Grove Governing Council in early 2012, is now in effect at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG). The tobacco-free policy disallows the use of all tobacco products, including any lighted tobacco product and/or any oral tobacco product, within the boundaries of the USG campus. The policy applies to all faculty, staff, students, visitors, contractors and guests.
The adoption and implementation of the policy will be a community effort. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors are encouraged to inform others that the campus is now tobacco free. Bookmarks with information about the policy and cessation resources are available at security desks in all buildings to assist community members with relaying information about the policy. In addition, security guards have been trained to deal with violations and are available to assist with enforcement.
Cessation with Adventist Healthcare and More
USG is partnering with Adventist Healthcare to provide free tobacco cessation counseling to students, faculty, and staff. For more information, counselors can be contacted at (301)315-3140. When students return to classes for the Spring 2013 semester, the USG Tobacco-Free Task Force will host information tables with give-aways to promote the new policy and materials about cessation.
Why Tobacco-Free?
USG is committed to environmental stewardship and to creating a safe and healthy environment for all members of the USG community. The tobacco-free policy at USG was adopted with careful consideration and thorough exploration.
In 2011, after receiving feedback from students, faculty, and staff about smoking on campus, USG formed a task force to review and address the issue. The Task Force reviewed public health research, consulted with other campuses, researched trends regarding tobacco policies, and collected data from the USG community regarding their perception of tobacco use on campus. Surveys, web suggestion forms, and focus groups were all used to gather input from various USG constituencies.