Texas Christian University (TCU) continues efforts to support the success of their students by creating a healthy campus environment that is tobacco free. In the summer of 2019, Texas passed the Tobacco 21 law prohibiting the sale and possession of tobacco products under the age of 21 (see the full SB 21 bill here). TCU weighed their options for the best way to enforce this new policy within their campus environment, and inn response, they banned the possession of all tobacco products in residence halls, regardless of age, including the possession of all electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) devices.
In addition to policy enforcement changes, TCU continues to explore ways to focus on cessation resources and education. In fall 2020, TCU launched a comprehensive Tobacco-Free Campus website. This website focuses on education and how the TCU community can help enforce the Tobacco-Free campus policy with “Tobacco Facts,” how to communicate the policy to an individual not abiding, and providing a variety of cessation resources for students and employees.
Also, TCU’s substance use and addiction counselors aim to pursue the Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS) Training and Certification (CTTS) through MD Anderson in 2021.
Each of these efforts combine to strengthen the commitment TCU has to being a tobacco-free campus and to provide an environment that is healthy and welcoming to all students, employees and guests.
