Faculty, staff and students returning to campus after the new year will find designated smoking areas on the Boca Raton campus, part of the University’s Breathe Easy campaign to address the number one cause of preventable disease and death in the United States — smoking. A map indicating the areas can be found at www.fau.edu/today/smoking_areas.php (click on the map for a larger version).  Permanent signage will be placed throughout the campus starting in January. Smoking will be permitted only in the areas designated , and enforcement will begin Jan. 2, 2010.

In surveys over the last year, more than 3/4 of students, faculty and staff have indicated support for creating designated smoking areas. Other FAU campuses also have designated smoking areas. Nationwide more than 500 college campuses are now smoke-free and thousands more have specific, designated smoking areas on their campuses. A number of Florida’s universities are also smoke-free, have limited smoking or are considering limits.

For smokers trying to quit, the Today & Beyond Wellness Programis offering a FREE six-week smoking cessation program beginning Jan. 21. (See listing below in the Save the Date  section.) Free nicotine replacement therapy (gum, patches and lozenges) are available as part of the program.

For more information about the designated smoking areas or the smoking cessation program, contact Rosemary Dunbar at [email protected] or 7-3615.