RIC nursing school bans tobacco

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Rhode Island College's nursing school has instituted a new policy banning the use of tobacco products by its students while they're on campus.

The policy also bans the use of tobacco products by students who are off-campus if they are wearing their nursing school uniforms.

Rhode Island Health Department Director Michael Fine says nurses have higher smoking rates than all other health care professionals and that the new policy will help reduce smoking in this group.

He recently presented the nursing school with the department's smoke-free policy award.

The president of RIC's student nurses association says students should serve as positive tobacco-free role models for patients and fellow nursing students.