TUCSON, Ariz. - The Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs has banned smoking and vaping of all kind on their campus.
The ban applies to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapes, and cigars.
The ban was implemented on October 1, 2019.
Health Behavior Coordinator Clarissa Garcia told KGUN9 the decision to ban smoking and vaping was made after years of considering the change.
Garcia said other VA's across the country have implemented the new rule, many of them having successful transitions.
Garcia added the main reason the Southern Arizona VA decided to finally make the change was because they did not want to continue seeing the effects of smoking hurting veterans.
"Smoking is a preventable leading cause of death and mortality so there's 480,000 deaths related to smoking each year and that's one in five people," siad Garcia.
Officials are giving a grace period for smokers who don't know about the change. If an officer sees you smoking on the Southern Arizona VA campus, they will give you a warning during the grace period.
Eventually there will be a $50 fine if you are caught smoking on campus, according to Garcia.
