Tampa campus becomes tobacco-free on Monday

All 105 acres of the University of Tampa campus will become free of all smoke and tobacco beginning Monday.

Since 2013, smoking has been banned from all UT buildings. The university also had designated zones for smoking on campus. The new policy expands the smoke prohibition even further.

This new policy, which was introduced in January, bans the use of tobacco in all of its forms -- chewing, cigars, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and hookahs.

With the new policy, all UT employees, contractors, students and visitors must obey the rule. All of the athletic facilities, residential buildings, parking garages, athletic fields, offices and open spaces are to be smoke free, and all faculty, staff and students must uphold and enforce this policy.

The goal is to protect the safety, health and wellness of all UT students. Health experts believe that policies like this one will benefit everyone on the campus; as of today, there are 23 college campuses that have taken proactive measures towards 100 percent smoke-free campuses.

“Our goal is to create and promote a healthy campus that will foster teaching, learning, working and living,” Gina Firth, associate dean of wellness, said.

The new policy is thanks to senior university administrators and Breathe-Easy UT, a student organization. Breathe-Easy conducted focus groups and surveys on this topic for six years. The organizers met with faculty, staff and students as they drafted the policy.