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The American Cancer Society and CVS Health Foundation awarded grants to 20 U.S. colleges and universities as part of their Tobacco-Free Generation Campus Initiative, a $3.6 million multi-year program intended to accelerate and expand the adoption and implementation of 100 percent smoke- and tobacco-free campus policies.

Piedmont Community College (PCC) is one of three schools from North Carolina to receive the grant. East Carolina University and Lenoir-Rhyne University were also recipients.

The remaining 17 institutions are from across the country and include Bowling Green State University (Ohio); California State University San Marcos; Davenport University (Michigan); El Paso Community College (Texas); Indiana University – Bloomington; Merritt College (California); Montclair State University (New Jersey); Oakland University (Michigan), Penn State University (Pennsylvania); Saint Mary’s College of California, Springfield College (Massachusetts), St. Xavier University (Illinois); Texas Christian University; Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi; University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College (Ohio); University of Michigan; and University of Pennsylvania.

CVS Health Foundation logoThe Tobacco-Free Generation Campus Initiative is part of Be The First, CVS Health’s five-year, $50 million initiative that supports education, advocacy, tobacco control, and healthy behavior programming to help deliver the nation’s first tobacco-free generation. CVS Health has set actionable and measurable goals for Be The First project, including a doubling of the number of tobacco-free college and university campuses in the United States.

“With our partners at CVS Health, we are excited to support the efforts of many dedicated students, faculty, and staff to make their campuses smoke- and tobacco-free using proven strategies that will also reduce tobacco use among students,” said Gary M. Reedy, Chief Executive Officer for the American Cancer Society. “To be successful in creating a tobacco-free generation, it is important that we prevent and eliminate lethal and addictive tobacco use among college students.”

photo of PCC’s second year nursing students' event for the Great American Smokeout on the Person County CampusIn an effort to promote a healthier campus, PCC’s second year nursing students held an event in conjunction with the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 17. This annual intervention effort encourages smokers to quit for a day, quit for good, or make a plan to quit, and raises awareness around the many tools and resources they can use to help them quit.

About American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 2 million volunteers saving lives in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society’s efforts have contributed to a 23 percent decline in cancer death rates in the U.S. since 1991, and a 50 percent drop in smoking rates. For more information about The American Cancer Society, to get help, or to join the fight, call (800) 227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

About the CVS Health Foundation
The CVS Health Foundation is a private charitable organization created by CVS Health that works to build healthier communities, enabling people of all ages to lead healthy, productive lives. The Foundation provides strategic investments to nonprofit partners throughout the U.S. who help increase community-based access to health care for underserved populations, create innovative approaches to chronic disease management and provide tobacco cessation and youth prevention programming. To learn more about the CVS Health Foundation, visit www.cvshealth.com/social-responsibility.

Photo: PCC’s second year nursing students hosted an event for the Great American Smokeout on the Person County Campus

Logos for American Cancer Society and CVS Health Foundation

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