Forsyth Technical Community College

Forsyth Tech strives to be conscientious in its respect for the environment; health and safety of faculty, staff and students; achievement of educational excellence; and the management of its facilities.

These are some of the many reasons why Forsyth Tech adheres to a no smoking policy on all it campus and center locations.

Smoking is not permitted in any building or on the surrounding grounds owned or used by Forsyth Tech. This includes all campuses, centers and locations. Smoking is not be permitted in any College, government or private vehicle operated or parked on grounds owned or used by Forsyth Tech.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is Forsyth Tech smoke free?
A: This policy is part of an overall Wellness Initiative to improve the quality of life for the entire Forsyth Tech community and to model healthy behaviors for our graduates entering the workforce.

As a state agency and one of the 58 community colleges, Forsyth Tech falls under the influence of the State Legislature, which recently mandated changes to the Health Plan for state employees. In an attempt to control the runaway public costs of health insurance, the Comprehensive Wellness Initiative (CWI) includes incentives to stop smoking as well as penalties for continued tobacco use. Most importantly, more workplaces are seeking the positive effects of smoking cessation both on health costs and productivity. Since we are in the business of educating and training workforce-ready graduates, it becomes part of our forward thinking to train the way our graduates will need to operate, and set a positive example in the process.

Q: What exactly is considered "on campus?"
A: “On Campus” means inside the geographical perimeter of any Forsyth Tech jurisdiction, including personal cars parked within a Forsyth Tech jurisdiction. This includes all Forsyth Tech buildings and grounds such as Main Campus, West Campus, Swisher Center, Woodruff Center,  Northwest Forsyth Center, Transportation Technology Center, and Forsyth Tech Stokes Center. “On Campus” also means locations and the grounds around those buildings which host partners have invited us to use, such as the Small Business Center in the Chamber of Commerce Building, the International Center in the Public Library, Stokes County Government offices, the Triad Research Park offices and various clinics and classrooms throughout Forsyth and Stokes county.

Q: Is all tobacco use banned or does the ban only include smoking?
A: The only policy approved thus far is the “No Smoking on Campus” policy, which went into effect on August 15, 2010. At this time, there is no plan to entirely prohibit tobacco use or have a “Tobacco-Free Campus.”

Q: Will the college gain any financial benefit from this ban?
A: We hope the policy will result in fewer absences due to health issues and higher productivity for all concerned, but ultimately the state and the taxpayers will benefit the most thanks to the anticipated reduction in health costs.

Q: Is the school offering any help to those who want to quit smoking?
A: We encourage people to take advantage of all the many free resources available to aid in smoking cessation. QuitlineNC is a North Carolina service designed to help all tobacco users quit, both youth and adult. They can be reached at 1.800.QUIT.NOW (1.800.784.8669) or online at www.quitlinenc.com.