A smoke-free future

The University of Florida in Gainesville went tobacco-free in July, and Valencia College in Orlando plans to adopt the policy in 2012. This spurred students at Seminole State College of Florida to talk with administrators about following their lead, says Student Government Association President Krizia Capeles.

In response, the association plans to distribute a ballot this fall, in which students will vote for or against a smoking ban.

Patterson predicts that nearly all college campuses in the United States will be 100% smoke-free in 10 years. Talbott-Forbes, too, says it’s a possibility - mentioning how professors once smoked in their offices but can’t today.

“We’ve gone from pushing smoking out of the building ... to now trying to push smoking totally off campus,” she said.

Although it may take time to sink in, Hahn said, people eventually “get it.”

“They get the idea that tobacco use just isn’t accepted here.”

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By Stephanie Steinberg, Special to CNN