Students end tobacco use on WITC campus

WITC Superior celebrated a significant milestone toward a healthier, cleaner and greener campus Friday — the entire campus went tobacco free.

New signage and information began going up on campus doors and offices on Thursday alerting students and staff of the change in policy.

Smoking and other tobacco use on campus has, up to now, been permitted in designated locations outside the WITC building. Starting Friday, the entire grounds, including all indoor and outdoor spaces, will go tobacco free.

Campus officials say the change was a student-led initiative.

The results of a Spark survey given late last year found more than 65 percent of WITC students on the Superior campus support a tobacco-free campus. Spark is a student-led branch of the American Lung Association.

“As college health nurse, the most compelling statistic from the Spark survey was the statistic that 7 percent of students who reported using tobacco said they started using tobacco at WITC,” said June Farkas, RN, BSN, College Health Nurse. “I want WITC students to be known for the skills and professionalism they acquired while students here, not for a lifelong addiction that causes untold health issues as well as costs hard earned dollars.”

WITC-Superior will be joining the ranks of many other colleges in the Twin Ports that already have tobacco free campus policies in place.

Tobacco cessation services are available for students and staff in the WITC college health service as well as in our community.

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