STEVENS POINT - The Tobacco-Free Coalition of Central Wisconsin honored UW-Stevens Point Nov. 13 for becoming a tobacco-free campus in 2014.

 

The journey to becoming tobacco free began more than 14 years earlier, said Sallie Scovill,  health promotion and human development associate professor. She thanked scores of students, faculty and staff for their roles in making a positive difference in the health of thousands. These included grass-roots advocacy from health promotion classes to messaging from communications classes and support from campus leaders, Residential Living and Environmental Health and Safety staff. Contributing to a successful effort were partnerships with groups on and off campus, including the Tobacco-Free Coalition, SPARK and neighbors.

 

In August 2014, UW-Stevens Point joined more than 700 other college campuses across the United States in prohibiting smoking and tobacco products on all campus grounds.

 

State Rep. Katrina Shankland, Stevens Point Mayor Mike Wiza and Portage County Health Officer Gary Garske were among those attending to present the award to Scovill and Student Health Services Administrative Director Jen Sorenson.

 

Among the goals of the policy are to reduce harm from secondhand smoke, provide an environment encouraging people to be tobacco-free, establish a campus culture of wellness and environmental responsibility and promote a tobacco-free future.

 

Sorenson also thanked those who counsel students interested in quitting tobacco through Student Health Services. For assistance with cessation, community resources are listed at http://www.uwsp.edu/stuhealth/Pages/Tobacco-Free/cessation-resources.aspx