Texas A&M University To Become Smoke-Free, Tobacco-Free
COLLEGE STATION, TX – Texas A&M University will become a smoke-free and tobacco-free campus effective January 1, 2020, President Michael K. Young announced recently. The initiative is in compliance with recommendations and requests from The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.
The announcement reflects efforts concerning the health and well-being of students, faculty, staff and visitors on the Texas A&M campus and across the U.S. Currently, more than 480,000 people die each year from smoking; statistics show almost all of them started smoking before the age of 26.
“Across the nation, more than 2,000 universities have already become smoke-free and tobacco-free,” Young says. “If other institutions can make this transition, I am confident that Aggies will show their spirit by supporting this new policy and sharing news of this change. With your help, everyone who comes to Texas A&M will be able to enjoy a healthier and more comfortable campus community.”
On October 1, the A&M System announced a ban on vaping and e-cigarettes across all 11 universities and eight state agencies within the system.
The January 1 policy additionally bans cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookahs and water pipes, Bidis, Kreteks, smokeless tobacco including chew and snuff, and other nicotine and/or tobacco delivery products. This ban includes all Texas A&M University campuses including main campus and all College Station locations, all Health Science Center sites, the branch campuses at Galveston and Qatar, the Higher Education Center at McAllen and other university sites.
Additional information can be found on the Tobacco-Free Policy Fact Sheet.