Clinton County schools will go tobacco-free in July 2016, do media campaign to prepare people for the change

The Clinton County Board of Education has voted to make all of the county’s school campuses tobacco free, but decided to not implement this program until the 2016 school year begins to give the public more time to adjust to the new rule, reports the Clinton County News.

“Board member Junior Cecil indicated he would rather have seen the measure take affect with the start of this school year, but board chairperson Paula Key said after considering the move, which has been discussed for the past few months, it was decided to give the public more time to become aware of the new rule and get adjusted to it,” the newspaper reports.

The board also passed a second motion to collaborate with the Lake Cumberland District Health Department for a $14,000 tobacco-free campus grant to be used for a 12-month media campaign and public awareness program to inform the public about the Tobacco Free School program. A similar campaign has been used in Casey County, which will go tobacco-free this school year.

“The tobacco-free school policy will not only ban smoking on school property during in school hours or school sponsored events, (i.e. ball games) but also include the banning of any use of any type of tobacco products,” the newspaper reports. The policy will also include electronic cigarettes and all vapor products.

As of June 2015, 44 school districts, out of 173 in Kentucky, were entirely tobacco-free, according to the state’s “100% Tobacco Free Schools” website.