APPLY for NJ C.U.I.T.S
Making your campus healthier
Project Description
The Tobacco Free for a Healthy NJ (TFHNJ) project has been assisting the NJ Department of Health in addressing tobacco on many fronts. A big win in tobacco prevention was recently achieved when NJ became the 3rd state in the nation to raise the age of sale of tobacco to 21. TFHNJ is working hard to educate the community and tobacco retailers about the new law.
With this new law, we now have a population (19 and 20 year olds) that can no longer purchase tobacco products. As a first step in addressing this vulnerable population, our goal is to create an environment that supports tobacco free living, as well as quitting within the college communities across NJ. With 99% of smokers starting before age 26, college campuses are critical in preventing young adults from starting tobacco use (cigarettes, e-cigarettes and all other tobacco products), aiding current smokers in quitting, and reducing exposure to secondhand smoke for all.
NJ Prevention Network (NJPN) will be working with the NJ Department of Health through our Tobacco Free for a Healthy NJ grant to implement the Colleges & Universities Implementing Tobacco and Smoke-free Policies Project (NJ CUITS). We will be providing colleges and universities with best practice policy options, technical assistance, and funding to support their efforts as they work to strengthen and improve current campus policies. Strong policies include supporting quitting among current smokers, eliminating the sale of tobacco products, and prohibiting the use of tobacco products on campus.
With 99% of smokers starting before age 26, college campuses are critical to preventing young adults from starting tobacco use.
Colleges accepting this funding will:
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Create, update or strengthen their campus tobacco policy moving towards a 100% Tobacco-Free Campus.
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Identify a Project Coordinator responsible for this project.
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Form a Tobacco-Free Campus Taskforce (TFCT) made up of students, staff, and faculty to collaboratively guide this project and ensure all campus constituent voices are involved.
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The TFCT will outreach to key stakeholders who have decision-making power such as President, Dean of Students, College Senate, Athletic Director/Coaches, dorm resident advisors, and fraternity/sorority groups to serve as ambassadors to the project.
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Send a minimum of one student from the TFCT to participate in the NJ Statewide Student Advisory Board (SSAB). The goal of the SSAB is to include student engagement ensuring the student voice is present in statewide tobacco prevention and cessation work, as well as empower students to use their creativity and social influence to spread the truth about tobacco and its impact, to drive policy change on and off campus. SSAB members will receive tobacco specific and leadership training. SSAB members will be compensated for their participation (separate from the college’s grant award).
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Complete a needs assessment/environmental scan to understand the nature of the problem which may include capturing the feelings and culture of the student population related to tobacco use, and current support provided to students, faculty and staff who smoke.
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