Knoxville's South College becomes smoke-free campus

Knoxville's South College becomes smoke-free campus

By KRISTYN CADDELL
6 News Reporter 

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Twenty to 30 percent of college students admit they're cigarette smokers, but a college in Knoxville is trying to squash the habit altogether.

South College's main campus at 3904 Lonas Drive is going completely smoke-free on Monday.

You won't find ash trays around the campus anymore. Instead, you'll find signs letting everyone know it's smoke-free.

A survey circulated earlier in the year found 75 percent of students and 80 percent of the faculty were in favor of ending smoking on campus.

"Hopefully, it does make it less acceptable. It's just dirty," one student said.

"I think it's great. It's going to make everybody healthier and all the people that don't like second hand smoke can get away from it," said another student, Terry Paige.

"Even some of the staff and faculty that smoke supported the change and we've even offered them workshops and other things. Several have quit smoking because of this," adds Executive Vice President Kim Hall.

South College's other site at 200 Hayfield Road is also going smoke-free.

South College is one of only three colleges in the state to declare its campus smoke-free.