A campus committed to health: launch of the "What if we smoked less?" project

Smoking remains a major public health challenge, and our campus is actively committed to reducing its impact through the “What If We Smoked Less?” project, officially launched on November 25, 2024, in the presence of Dr. Jérémie Charriot from Montpellier University Hospital. Supported by a grant from the Occitanie Regional Health Agency (ARS), this ambitious initiative aims to support smokers and vapers, prevent exposure to secondhand smoke, and raise awareness throughout the university community.

Clear and inclusive goals

This project does not seek to stigmatize smokers, but rather to support them in their efforts to reduce or quit nicotine use, while raising awareness about the use of e-cigarettes. Although e-cigarettes are used by some as a harm-reduction tool, they raise public health concerns, particularly among young adults. Our goal is also to reduce e-cigarette use and prevent its adoption by those who did not initially smoke.

At the same time, the project aims to protect the entire university community from the effects of secondhand smoke and to promote a campus that serves as a model for public health.

Concrete actions for the community

To achieve these goals, several initiatives will be implemented:

• Hiring of a tobacco specialist nurse, available to all staff and students for individual consultations.
• Organization of specialized workshops:
  • Stress management with a sophrologist,
  • Nutrition tailored to support weaning,
  • Adapted sports activities to promote physical and mental well-being.
• Installation of clear signage to designate smoking areas on campus.
• Cigarette butt collection and recycling, to raise awareness of the environmental impact of tobacco.

A participatory project: call for submissions

We need your help! To bring this initiative to life, we’re calling on the entire Flahault campus community to get involved:

• Become a project ambassador: you will be trained to organize awareness-raising activities and share the project’s key messages.
• Join the steering committee: we are looking for volunteers —smokers, students, or staff—to help develop strategies, monitor progress, and evaluate our initiatives.

Working Together for a Healthier Campus

This project relies on a collective effort. By joining forces, we can not only improve everyone’s health, but also make our campus a model for health promotion.

Would you like to become a liaison or a member of the steering committee? Send an email to pharma-fumermoins@umontpellier.fr

Let’s take on the challenge together: what if we smoked less?