FORT WALTON BEACH — The Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County commends the efforts of the Northwest Florida State College Student Government Association to make campuses smoke free.
On April 6, SGA voted to implement a tobacco-free policy at the college. SGA will now take their proposed policy to the college president, who will then take it to the Board of Trustees.
“In Florida, 29 colleges and universities have taken the bold step to enact 100 percent tobacco free campus policies,” Dr. Karen A. Chapman, DOH-Okaloosa director said.
“Tobacco has dangerous and harmful effects on an individual’s’ health and the well-being of the public. We need more of these environmental and policy changes throughout our communities to lessen the prevalence of tobacco-related illnesses and deaths in Okaloosa County.”
A 100 percent tobacco-free policy bans the use of all tobacco on campus grounds, parking lots, college-sponsored off campus events, and campus-owned vehicles. The policy applies to students, faculty, employees, and visitors.
Throughout the year, the task force surveyed 407 students, staff, and faculty. Over 80 percent of them supported a campus-wide tobacco free policy—with 14 percent feeling neutral about the proposed policy.
DOH-Okaloosa assisted SGA with the establishment of the NWFSC Tobacco Free Task Force that led this initiative. The task force consisted of students, faculty, staff, and community partners like the West Florida Area Health Education Center, who are committed to the health and well-being of those on campus. The task force partnered with DOH-Okaloosa to educate their fellow peers on the dangers of tobacco through events for Through with Chew Week, Kick Butts Day, and the Great American Smoke Out.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa health department commends college students’ tobacco-free campus efforts