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Portland and Biddeford, Maine

UNE receives top-tier award for campus tobacco prevention efforts

A student rides a bike through U N E's Biddeford campus during fall
The Breathe Easy Coalition of Maine recognized UNE for its University-wide efforts to reduce secondhand smoke in Maine's communities.

The University of New England has received a platinum award from Breathe Easy Coalition of Maine for its continued efforts to reduce secondhand smoke in Maine’s communities. 

This year, 40 Maine health care, hospital, higher education, and behavioral health organizations were recognized by Breathe Easy’s Gold Star Standards of Excellence program. The awards recognize Maine health organizations that are addressing tobacco use and exposure by implementing strategies that support tobacco treatment and prevention. 

At UNE, such strategies — including the University’s commitment to remaining a tobacco-free campus — are overseen by the Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition (CHCC). 

According to Breathe Easy Maine, tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Maine and the United States. 

Institutions participating in the Gold Star Standards of Excellence program can mitigate the spread of disease by creating tobacco-free social norms through the adoption of strong policies, educating about the harmful effects of use and exposure, and providing support in quitting, helping to reduce the number of tobacco users in Maine, the organization said in a press release. 

CHCC Director Cheri Anderson, M.A., PS-C, emphasized the impact of this recognition. 

“Receiving the platinum award underscores UNE’s dedication to community health and wellness,” she said. “Cultivating tobacco-free campuses and community settings is crucial for fostering long-term health outcomes. By promoting smoke-free environments, we not only protect individuals from the harmful effects of tobacco but also cultivate healthier communities for generations to come.”

Housed within the UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine, the CHCC is a comprehensive, community-based health coalition working to promote nutrition, substance abuse prevention, and lead poisoning prevention through a variety of state and federal grants. The program is in its 25th year supporting healthy Maine communities. 

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.