Huston-Tillotson University goes tobacco-free
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
Huston-Tillotson University became the first college in Central Texas to have a smoke-free campus Tuesday.
It’s a cause that can be noticed all over the school’s grounds. An old vintage trailer on campus is covered with ashtrays to serve as a reminder of the health risks that come with smoking tobacco.
"[It's] to get the message about the impact of tobacco on our community and it’s interactive," Dr. Philip Huang with Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services said.
For student Arthur Grant, the cause hits close to home.
"Both of my parents smoke and there's a lot of smoke around the house,” he said. “I just can't breathe right and I have bronchitis, it affects me a lot."
According to recent statistics, 11 people in Travis County die every week because of tobacco. Across the state, more than 3,500 people die from illnesses linked to second hand smoke.