The University of Missouri-Columbia campus will be smoke-free on July 1, 2013.
That’s six months ahead of the original schedule.
University officials made this announcement this morning after student leaders suggested the change in timeline.
Campus leaders have been pushing for a 100% smoke free campus for the past two decades.
University officials believe they won’t have any problems enforcing their total smoking ban on campus.
MU Vice Chancellor Cathy Scroggs said, “The reason we are announcing it now, is to give people plenty of warning. We have more than six months to do it. We are going to do a lot of communication with our faculty, staff and students about the policy. We are going to be offering opportunities to quit smoking and to help people quit.”
The MU campus smoking ban announcement comes on the same day as the Great American Smoke Out.
That annual event encourages smokers to kick the habit with the help of family and friends.