Northern Kentucky University could soon go tobacco-free

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Northern Kentucky University could soon go tobacco-free, according to school officials.

The university's Director of Wellness, Karen Campbell, plans to present the proposal to the Board of Regents Wednesday morning.

"We know again from research from not just smoke-free the surgeon general that there is no safe levels for exposure to any forms of exposure of tobacco so it just makes sense that we would move toward a total tobacco free policy," said Campbell.

Eighty-nine percent of students and staff polled by the university claimed they were either non smokers or wanted to quit. Sixty-nine percent were either in favor of the tobacco-free policy or had no opposition to the policy.

"Through our student government, we ran a survey asking would they support a policy. We know 68 percent were strongly in favor or had no opposition to it. So the majority are wanting to move in this direction," said Campbell.

The tobacco-free campus would take a year to implement. The school also plans to offer support to current smokers who want to quit.

According to the American Lung Association, NKU would be the fourth Kentucky campus to go smoke free. The others include University of Kentucky, Bellarmine and Transylvania.