Starting this semester, Moorpark College is going 100 percent tobacco-free, meaning students are not allowed to smoke cigarettes or use electronic smoking devices while on campus.

Students that violate this new law will be subject to administrative sanction, meaning students could receive a letter of warning, reprimand or even suspension.

Lt. Gregory Beckley, supervisor of the Moorpark College police station, said that students currently won’t get a ticket if they are caught smoking, as the law that would make smoking a public offense hasn’t been enacted yet, but soon will be. Also for the time being, smokers confining their activity to their vehicles won’t be punished either.

“At the present time, the only sanction is administrative,” said Beckley. “But soon the fine [for smoking] will be set not by the school, but directly from the state and I understood that it is going to be a hefty one.”

For people who are heavy smokers and might encounter difficulties in quitting or reducing the amount they smoke, the campus Health Center offers different possibilities for assistance such as appointments for smoking cessation counseling.

Moorpark College health educator Allison Barton explained that students can also get inexpensive medicine or nicotine patches to make quitting easier.

“The appointments are free, no charges, and [the medicines] can be paid through their [Ventura County Community College District] accounts,” said Barton.

Moorpark College’s goal with these measures is to reduce the tobacco litter, improve the quality of the air for everyone and reduce the risks of fire on campus, according to Barton.

More information is available by visiting the Health Center in the Administration building or at their website.