Campus hosts 'Great American Smokeout' before going smoke-free

The Smoke-Free Campus Initiative Committee hosted the American Cancer Society's 35th Annual "Great American Smokeout" on Thursday, Nov. 18.

This year's smokeout had special meaning since U-M's three campuses plan to go smoke free on July 1, 2011. This means smoking will not be allowed on the UM-Dearborn campus after July 1.

More than 40 people, most of them students, took part in this year's Smokeout at UM-Dearborn. Participants received information about quitting smoking and learned about resources available to help kick the habit.

Participants also took part in focus groups. Information gathered in the focus groups will help the Committee craft a campus communications strategy and identify necessary resources that faculty, staff and students need to help stop smoking. The Committee is respectful of the entire campus's needs and is actively seeking campus input while it prepares to implement the university-wide smoke-free policy next year. Additional focus groups will be scheduled in the coming months.

For more information about U-M's smoke-free campus initiative, visit: http://www.umd.umich.edu/smokefree/.