Chattanooga, TN (March 22, 2016) --- In the interest of better health and in support of the Mayor’s Smoke-Free Community Initiative, Chattanooga State Community College has made the decision to be a smoking and tobacco-free campus, effective July 1, 2016.

This grassroots effort brought forth by student leaders and faculty, embraced by the college as a whole, and put into action by Dr. Flora Tydings, president of Chattanooga State, began with a press conference on March 22. In attendance were President Tydings, Jim Coppinger, Hamilton County Mayor; Janie Burly, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department; Floyd Chasse, Erlanger Health System; Al Douglas and Becca Brown, Student Government Association (SGA); Claire Peacock and Dr. Michael Pugh, faculty representatives.

“At Chattanooga State, we consider our students success not only when they graduate, but when they secure a job in their chosen field,” said Dr. Tydings. “By becoming a tobacco free campus, we are helping support their future employment should they be among the literally thousands of positions currently in Chattanooga that require non-smokers.” Dr. Tydings continued, “To be clear, Chattanooga State is not requiring faculty, staff and students to quit using tobacco products; however, tobacco use will not be allowed on our campus beginning July 1.”

Desiree Decker, a life-long smoker and ChattState student who serves as chair of the SGA Smoking Responsibly committee said, “If I could go back and change one thing in my life, it would be the first time I smoked a cigarette. Smoking was what all the cool kids were doing and there was a lot of advertising 35 years ago to encourage smoking. I've tried to quit many years without results, so if a smoke-free campus can deter one student from picking up that first cigarette then I'm happy that I had a part in it," she added.

"Smoking continues to be the number one disease (ending in) death, and it is preventable, than anything else in the city, the county, the state or in the nation. So if we can prevent this, why wouldn't we? And the way we do it is just what you do so well here at Chattanooga State - through education, through awareness,” stated Mayor Coppinger.

With the clock ticking, Wednesday, March 23 will signal the beginning of the 100-Day Countdown during the SGA meeting at noon in OMN-124/126. During the next 100 days, ChattState will have events to raise awareness about the new policy, as well as provide educational resources and cessation opportunities, thanks to the assistance of great community partners including the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department and Erlanger Health System.

For more information about the 100-Day Countdown to a Smoke-Free Campus, visit www.chattanoogastate.edu.