POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess
Community College will go tobacco-free as of May of next year.
The policy will apply for all forms of tobacco products, from cigarettes,
to e-cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, pipes, vaping, snus, dip and
all related products on college property.
DCC’s plan will support the Tobacco-Free SUNY initiative. More than
half of the community colleges in New York State have gone smoke-free,
and virtually all others are implementing the program. More than one-third
of all colleges in the state are tobacco- or smoke-free.
A task force of volunteers from the campus community, with student, faculty
and staff representatives, is working to facilitate the transition and
ensure that education and other resources are available to help those
who wish to stop smoking.
The DCC initiative will kick off on Thursday, November 19 to coincide
with the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout.
“We know that almost 23 percent of college-age students smoke, and
that is almost double the rate of high school students,” said College
President Dr. Pamela Edington. “We’re committed to doing our
part to reverse this trend, and creating a campus environment that’s
healthier for all.”
