17 more colleges and universities pledge to go tobacco/vape-free

Seventeen colleges and universities are working toward adopting a 100% tobacco/vape-free campus policy as the newest grantees of the Truth Initiative Tobacco/Vape-Free College Program.

The program offers funding of up to $20,000 to colleges, universities, and college systems to support the adoption and implementation of a 100% tobacco/vape-free policy. Since 2015, 148 grantees have adopted tobacco- and vape-free policies, protecting more than 1.4 million students, faculty, and staff each year.

The importance of tobacco/vape-free campuses

With 99% of smokers starting by age 26 and the youth e-cigarette crisis continuing, college campuses are critical to preventing young adults from starting tobacco use, aiding current smokers and vapers in quitting, and reducing exposure to secondhand smoke and aerosols for all. Tobacco products threaten both the physical and mental health of young people, with a body of peer-reviewed research showing that nicotine can worsen anxiety symptoms and intensify feelings of depression. 

The latest grantees of the Truth Initiative Tobacco/Vape-Free College Program will form a taskforce to coordinate the policy effort, assess tobacco-related issues, promote tobacco cessation, and develop a policy recommendation. Student leaders will develop and lead educational efforts to build a movement to become a tobacco/vape-free institution. Grantees receive guidance through webinars, an in-person training, and one-on-one consultations throughout the grant period.

The latest grantees include:

• Western Connecticut State University, Connecticut
• Simmons College of Kentucky, Kentucky
• Louisiana Christian University, Louisiana
• Ferris State University, Michigan
• Manhattan College, New York
• State University of New York, Geneseo, New York
• Notre Dame College, Ohio
• Holy Family University, Pennsylvania
• Roger Williams University, Rhode Island
• Austin Peay State University, Tennessee
• Southern Methodist University, Texas
• Texas Lutheran University, Texas
• Wiley College, Texas
• George Mason University, Virginia
• Mary Baldwin University, Virginia
• University of Richmond, Virginia
• Bellevue College, Washington