Tobacco-free Initiative 2012
To help promote health and wellness among all members of our community, Brooklyn College will participate in the CUNY-wide initiative to become a completely tobacco-free campus in fall 2012.
Until then, Brooklyn College is restricting smoking to the areas indicated on this map.
Smokers may continue to smoke in areas outside of the campus gates but are asked to please avoid smoking near campus entryways or windows, including those of the Student Center. The proper disposal of all smoking-related waste is also encouraged.
The Benefits of Quitting
Immediately after quitting, you diminish the numerous health risks to everyone around you by eliminating their exposure to secondhand smoke.
- After quitting, you’ll be free of the financial burden that comes with smoking.
- Twenty minutes after quitting, your heart rate drops.
- Twelve hours after quitting, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
- Two weeks to three months after quitting, your heart attack risk begins to drop and your lung function begins to improve.
- One to nine months after quitting, your coughing and shortness of breath decrease.
- One year after quitting, your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.
- Five years after quitting, your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker’s.
- Ten years after quitting, your lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker’s, and your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases.
- Fifteen years after quitting, your risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a nonsmoker’s.
Find out more about smoking and tobacco use at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Smoking Cessation Resources
If you are a smoker and wish to quit or reduce your intake, the Brooklyn College Health Clinic offers a variety of strategies to help you:
- Behavioral counseling tailored to fit your lifestyle, including stress management and weight-control techniques.
- Group counseling and educational programs offering tips and support from fellow quitters.
- Individualized pharmacotherapy treatment plans to reduce cravings for nicotine and tobacco.
For further details about these and other programs offered by the college, contact the Health Clinic, 114 Roosevelt Hall, 718.951.5580.
For additional smoking cessation resources, visit the following:
