RSS
The UConn Health Center will become an entirely smoke-free campus starting November 18. Learn more at http://cleanair.uchc.edu.
Feature Story
Health Center Today, October 15, 2010
Police Providing Front-line Outreach to Raise Smoke-free Awareness
By Chris DeFrancesco
Health Center police are providing a “boots on the ground” element to the effort to spread awareness about the upcoming smoke-free policy.
During their routine patrols, officers will be keeping an eye out for smokers and informing them that tobacco use of any kind will be prohibited anywhere on the Health Center campus effective November 18.
Smoking has been banned inside John Dempsey Hospital since 1990. State law prohibits smoking in any state building and within 50 feet of an entrance to a state building.
The prohibition applies to employees and anyone else who has business on Health Center grounds, including visitors, patients and vendors. Violators are subject to fines of up to $75.
“With the smoke-free policy rapidly approaching, we’re trying to remind people about it,” says Assistant Police Chief Ray Bouchard. “But enforcement and compliance really has to be everyone’s responsibility, not just that of the police.”
To that end, the Human Resource Department’s Know Better Place program has created a “Smoke-free Campus Toolkit.” The kits include cards to be handed out to help spread awareness. The cards briefly explain the new policy and are tailored to specific audiences.
Implementation of the Health Center’s new tobacco policy coincides with the American Cancer Society’s 2010 Great American Smokeout.
More information about the smoke-free campus effort is available at http://cleanair.uchc.edu.