One More Thing You Can’t Do on Campus

Students returning to classes in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District next week won’t be facing smoke in the air while on campus.

A new smoking ban, approved one year ago, is now in effect. The district delayed the launch of the ban until campuses could get signage ready and create smoking-cessation programs.

The two colleges are among eight campuses in California that are 100 percent tobacco-free according to a district spokesperson.

Locally, in addition to Grossmont and Cuyamaca, other smoke-free colleges are Mesa College and Point Loma Nazarene University.

"It was really an idea whose time had come," said Chancellor Omero Suarez. "From the offset, what was foremost was to create public policy that was in everyone's best interests. The task force's information collection and updates were very helpful and gave people time to get used to the idea and to take advantage of smoking cessation programs and services offered by the district and colleges."

Grossmont College Student Health Services offers weekly meetings, along with lesson plans and workbooks providing detailed information on kicking the habit. The free workshops, open to everyone on campus, will meet one hour each week for eight weeks starting Feb. 2 and will be led by a licensed substance-abuse counselor.

At Cuyamaca College, students and staff are encouraged to stop by the health and wellness center located on the ground floor of the new student center for information and referrals.
The district is continuing to provide smoking-cessation assistance to employees through existing health plans.