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For the second consecutive year, the Â鶹´«Ã½ has been recognized in the Maine Tobacco-Free College Network Gold Star Standards of Excellence Program. At the awards presentation on March 15, 2016, Â鶹´«Ã½was named as a recipient of the Gold Award, the highest level of accomplishment.

The Gold Star Standards of Excellence awards are given to Maine colleges and universities committed to creating tobacco-free environments and supporting tobacco-free lifestyles. Depending on the number of Gold Star Standards that they meet, schools receive bronze, silver or gold award status. Some of the award criteria include the implementation of a smoke and tobacco-free campus policy, having tobacco treatment information available for students, faculty and staff, prohibiting the distribution of tobacco products on campus, and divestment of all tobacco investments. 

An initiative of the Breathe Easy Coalition of Maine, the Maine Tobacco-Free College Network is comprised of a diverse membership representing colleges, public health organizations and individuals interested in supporting best practice smoke and tobacco-free policy changes at colleges and universities.  The initiative encourages institutions of higher learning to address the adverse health effects of environmental tobacco smoke by implementing smoke and tobacco-free policies on their grounds in order to promote a healthier environment.