The Palomar College governing board banned tobacco from its properties Tuesday, after years of student efforts to make the campus a smoke-free environment. The ban takes effect immediately and will be in full force for the fall semester, when the college will post notices warning students and employees not to smoke, said Mark Vernoy, interim vice president for student services.

Palomar joins Mira Costa College, which recently agreed to prohibit smoking at its three campuses starting Aug. 22, along with other San Diego-area colleges that have banned tobacco, Vernoy said.
“That’s certainly the wave that many community colleges and universities are taking,” said governing board President Mark Evilsizer. “It’s time we get real with the hazards of smoking, particularly second-hand smoke.”