{"314641":{"#nid":"314641","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Campus to \u0027Breathe Easy\u0027 with Tobacco-Free Policy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBeginning this fall semester, Georgia Tech will become a tobacco-free campus, in accordance with the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.usg.edu\/policymanual\/section9\/policy\/C503\/#p9.1.7_tobacco_and_smoke_free_campus_policy\u0022\u003ETobacco- and Smoke-Free Campus Policy\u003C\/a\u003E passed by the Board of Regents in March.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis policy bans all forms of tobacco on all university and college campuses in the University System of Georgia (USG). The ban includes traditional cigarettes and chewing tobacco as well as e-cigarettes, clove cigarettes, pipes, and hookahs. The goal of the policy is to protect and improve the health, comfort, and environment of students, employees, and any persons occupying USG campuses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe USG reports that, currently, more than 50 percent of USG schools are already smoke- or tobacco-free.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re joining the 30 other institutions in the University System of Georgia, as well as almost 1,000 colleges throughout the nation,\u201d said President G.P. \u201cBud\u201d Peterson.\u0026nbsp;\u201cIt will require a culture change, which is never easy; however, working together, we can improve the health, comfort, and environment of everyone here at Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough tobacco use will be prohibited on campus, some individuals may choose to continue to use tobacco away from campus. Georgia Tech respects this choice and is requesting that all staff, faculty, students, and campus visitors adhere to the tobacco-free policy while on campus. \u201cAs we make the transition to a tobacco-free campus, we are asking our community to work together in a respectful manner,\u201d Peterson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELooking to quit?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor those who want to become tobacco-free, cessation programs will be available to students, faculty, and staff to help ease the transition into a tobacco-free lifestyle. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Dr. Gregory Moore, senior director of Stamps Health Services, \u201cTobacco is the leading cause of preventable and premature death in the United States, and research indicates that many young adults choose to be tobacco users between the ages of 18 and 25.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe understand the addictive nature of tobacco use \u2013 quitting is not easy \u2013 and are fully prepared to provide a variety of cessation programs to help both students and employees try to kick the habit for good.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver-the-counter (OTC) nicotine replacement products including skin patches, chewing gum, and lozenges are currently available for students, faculty, and staff at Stamps Health Services. These products will be free of charge to students and employees who enroll in a cessation program through Stamps Health Services.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents interested in participating in a cessation program are invited to schedule an appointment at Stamps Health Services to meet with a tobacco treatment specialist and develop an individualized treatment plan. Stamps Health Services is offering Food and Drug Administration-approved smoking cessation products on a prescription-only basis to students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFaculty and staff interested in quitting are invited to sign-up for \u003Cem\u003EFreedom From Smoking\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u00ae\u003C\/sup\u003E group sessions conducted by the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.lung.org\/stop-smoking\/how-to-quit\/freedom-from-smoking\/about.html\u0022\u003EAmerican Lung Association\u003C\/a\u003E, offered at no cost to participants.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp align=\u0022left\u0022\u003EStudents, faculty, and staff can learn more about these cessation programs by visiting the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/Pages\/Tobacco-Cessation-.aspx\u0022\u003EStamps Health Services website\u003C\/a\u003E or by sending an email to \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:cessation@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecessation@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E. Faculty and staff should also visit the USG Workplace Wellness Program website for more information on \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.usg.edu\/wellness\/initiatives\/tobacco_cessation\u0022\u003Etobacco cessation programs\u003C\/a\u003E, including how to qualify for free coverage for OTC and prescription smoking cessation products.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBeginning this fall semester, Georgia Tech will become a tobacco-free campus, in accordance with the Tobacco- and Smoke-Free Campus Policy passed by the Board of Regents in March.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Beginning this fall semester, Georgia Tech will become a tobacco-free campus, in accordance with the Tobacco- and Smoke-Free Campus Policy passed by the Board of Regents in March."}],"uid":"27164","created_gmt":"2014-08-14 15:40:09","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:16:52","author":"Rachael Pocklington","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-08-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-08-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"314651":{"id":"314651","type":"image","title":"Tobacco-Free Campus","body":null,"created":"1449244947","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:02:27","changed":"1475895022","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:22","alt":"Tobacco-Free Campus","file":{"fid":"201753","name":"tobacco-free-symbol.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tobacco-free-symbol_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tobacco-free-symbol_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":94430,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tobacco-free-symbol_0.png?itok=48tB-Re2"}}},"media_ids":["314651"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.tobaccofree.gatech.edu\/","title":"Tobacco-Free GT website"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.health.gatech.edu\/Pages\/Tobacco-Cessation-.aspx","title":"Stamps Health Services: Cessation Information"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.usg.edu\/policymanual\/section9\/policy\/C503\/#p9.1.7_tobacco_and_smoke_free_campus_policy","title":"USG Tobacco-Free Campus Policy"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.usg.edu\/tobaccofree\/","title":"USG Tobacco-Free website"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"728","name":"Board of Regents"},{"id":"2775","name":"human resources"},{"id":"167128","name":"Stamps Health Services"},{"id":"99841","name":"tobacco-free"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:tobaccofree@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Etobaccofree@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}