Some one thousand Eastern Kentucky University employees and another four thousand students are being asked this week about their views on a possible ban on tobacco use. A draft plan would prohibit the use of tobacco products on all E-K-U campuses. Then, next fall, Wellness Analyst Leanna Bowles says there’ll be a 30 day comment period.
“And we don’t feel like we have enough time at this point to go ahead and begin that and give people and have that full 30 days because 30 days from now we’re almost at graduation..so we feel the timing is bad to do it this semester,”said Bowles.
A proposed ban could go before the E-K-U Board of Regents by the end of the year. Still, Wellness Analyst Leanna Bowles says it could be the fall of 2013 before an all-out ban is implemented.
“It will take time from any point it is approved…just to get everything in place…communication pieces…signage…making sure people understand what’s happening…making sure we have resources in place,” added Bowles.
Bowles says it could also involve additional smoking cessation courses and nicotine replacement therapies on campus.
