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DU joins some 365 campuses around the nation to become smoke free starting on the first day of the winter quarter.

The smoke-free measure, signed by Chancellor Robert Coombe last spring, bans students, faculty, staff and visitors from smoking on campus.

The ban includes not only cigarettes, but any tobacco products, such as cigars, pipes and hookahs.

The Newman Center and the Ritchie Center, where many public events are held, are exceptions to the rule. There are designated areas outside each building, at least 25 feet away from entrances and exits, for smoking.

However, smoking is only allowed in the designated areas at the Ritchie Center during events.

Public areas such as streets and sidewalks that run through campus are exempt from the ban.

The ban includes all university-owned property including fraternity and sorority houses, and university vehicles regardless of their location.

The policy will eventually be treated like any other university policy, said senior Joel Portman, one of the leaders of last year’s effort to get the measure signed into DU poilicy. For now, he said, it is an education process to inform people of the rule, not aimed at disciplinary measures.

“We don’t want to get anyone in trouble,” he said, “It’s not meant to be negative.”

There are signs around the campus grounds and inside buildings informing the DU community of the newly implemented policy.

There also are also plans for converting more than 70 signs around campus from their previous uses to communicate the policy, said Portman.

The health and counseling center has upped the resources it provides for helping students quit smoking, said Katie Dunker, assistant director for health promotion.

“We really want to accommodate people trying to quit,” said Dunker.

Dunker expects to see an increase this quarter in the number of students coming in for help with cessation. She saw about 50 percent more students coming in for help in quitting in the fall quarter.

The health center offers in-house individual counseling sessions and classes to help students quit.

There are also links to ten websites aimed at helping smokers and smokeless tobacco users quit on the policy communication website, du.edu/smokefree. All tobacco cessation counseling services are free at the Health Center.

Though the policy has only been implemented for a short time, Dunker has received a positive response from the students working in her office, she said.

“It’s fantastic that students are complying with the policy,” said Dunker.

This article was updated on Jan. 14 at 3:15 p.m. to correct errors printed in the original version.