Sameer Nayfeh was a smoker for more than half his life.
But now that the University of Central Florida is going smoke-free, so is the 42-year-old campus employee. With UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 help, Nayfeh is kicking the habit he started at 19.
麻豆精品 S淢y kids are happy for me, too, 麻豆精品 S� said Nayfeh, who works in lab support and property control for the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science.
UCF is joining hundreds of colleges and universities around the nation that have a tobacco and/or smoke-free policy in place. The new initiative begins the first day of the fall semester 麻豆精品 S� Monday, Aug. 20 麻豆精品 S� and applies to employees, students, visitors, vendors and others while on UCF-owned or leased properties, including university vehicles.
The initiative was put into motion last year by President John C. Hitt to encourage healthy lifestyles and change the university community 麻豆精品 S檚 behavior so that everyone 麻豆精品 S檚 right to clean air is respected. (The /smokefree website has FAQs, information about smoking-cessation classes, a schedule of workshops to learn about the policy, and how to submit a question about the policy.)
Another campus employee, Molly McCarter, said she was motivated to stop her 20-year smoking habit because she started running for exercise last year and now is training for a marathon.
麻豆精品 S淚t certainly is easier to run when you don 麻豆精品 S檛 smoke, 麻豆精品 S� said McCarter, production manager and coordinator of stage management for Theatre UCF. 麻豆精品 S淲ho knew? Everybody knows! Everyone who picks up a cigarette knows what it does to them. 麻豆精品 S�
Nayfeh and McCarter said they have tried to quit numerous times through the years, but this time they vowed to succeed in advance of the university 麻豆精品 S檚 policy.
麻豆精品 S淚 tried several times to stop, but they were short 麻豆精品 S� days, even hours, 麻豆精品 S� said Nayfeh, who recently attended a smoking-cessation class on campus that offered tips, motivational advice and support from fellow classmates.
麻豆精品 S淭his time it was really different. I was lucky to have all the support from the class, and I took it more as a challenge this time. I figured that if I took just one cigarette, like I used to, I 麻豆精品 S檇 go back. 麻豆精品 S�
McCarter said nicotine-replacement patches were certainly helpful, but her biggest trick to stop smoking was exercise.
麻豆精品 S淓very time I wanted a cigarette I 麻豆精品 S檇 go into the bathroom and do about 20 jumping jacks, 麻豆精品 S� she said.
UCF Health Services officials have boosted support for the campaign by getting endorsements from groups around campus, such as the Faculty Senate, USPS Staff Council, Student Government Association, HR Liaison Network, Greek Council, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and others.
Mary Schmidt-Owens, co-chair of the campaign steering committee and UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 assistant director of Medical and Health Administration, said UCF joins more than 700 other colleges and universities with similar policies.
麻豆精品 S淚 am hopeful that as the result of the policy there will be fewer students picking up the habit, 麻豆精品 S� Schmidt-Owens said. 麻豆精品 S淲hat begins as an occasional social behavior quickly becomes a daily habit, often resulting in an addiction to cigarette smoking. I see this policy as the first step in discouraging a lifelong habit. 麻豆精品 S�
The university hopes that employees and students become ambassadors of the campaign and model healthy behaviors for others to follow. Anyone aware of someone smoking on the campus is encouraged to politely explain the policy and ask the smoker to comply.
Efforts will focus on increasing the awareness of the policy instead of fining or punishing smokers. The policy will be reviewed after a year just like other new policies that are put into place, Schmidt-Owens said.
The university has been providing cessation services and resources 麻豆精品 S� including individual and group classes, support groups, counseling, self-help materials and medications 麻豆精品 S� to employees and students who want to quit. For a list of upcoming classes, check the website.
JeVeire Moore, a Health Services pharmacist, said free nicotine-replacement therapy is available for those in the smoking-cessation program, and nicotine-replacement patches, gum and lozenges can be purchased by anyone at the UCF Health Center.
Nayfeh and McCarter encourage others to take the class to improve their own health.
麻豆精品 S淲hen smokers wake up, they have a horrible taste in their mouths. But they get used to it, 麻豆精品 S� Nayfeh said. 麻豆精品 S淭hey should quit for their health, for their looks, their smell. Everything has changed for me. For the people who still smoke, I wish them a better life without it. 麻豆精品 S�