Effective August 1^st, smoking on any state-supported institution of higher education in Arkansas, including UALR, will be a violation of Arkansas law. The Arkansas General Assembly passed the Clean Air on Campus Act last year to protect students, employees, and visitors from second-hand smoke exposure on public college and university campuses. The penalty for violating the law is a fine between $100-$500. The law prohibits smoking tobacco or “other lighted combustible plant material” anywhere on campus, including buildings, grounds, and parking lots.

UALR enacted its own Smoke-Free Campus Policy last fall that announced: “The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a smoke-free campus. This policy applies to all locations of the University, including the main campus, the William H. Bowen School of Law, and the UALR Benton Center. All individuals are expected to comply with this policy. Persons who fail to comply are subject to disciplinary action. “(Chancellor’s Office, August 16, 2009)

University Health Services has designed a program to help student, faculty, and staff smokers. “The program includes individualized assessments, treatment plans, and support for individuals seeking assistance. The program has already helped an overwhelming number of people quit smoking,” said Marie Sandusky, director of the Office of Health Services.