Enforcement for Tobacco Policies

We have worked with many campuses developing and implementing tobacco-free and smoke-free policies. Every campus is unique and their readiness for policy change varies. Many campuses have had a smooth transition to and high compliance with the new policies when they have built in an education/awareness period prior to the policy start date. This period is used to inform faculty, staff, students, and guests of the upcoming change, to highlight the health benefits of the new policy, and to promote cessation services and resources.

Campuses have also found it helpful to include a grace period after the policy begins. During this time, violators receive educational information about the policy including the reasons for the policy, the consequences at the end of the grace period, and cessation resources.

The policy does need to have some teeth in that after a certain grace period, violators need to be issued citations. Ideally this would be handled by those who currently enforce other campus policies. The smoke/tobacco-free policy needs to be treated with the same respect as other policies. If Resident Advisors cite students for resident hall violations (alcohol, noise, etc.), they should also cite students smoking near their dorms. Although the campus/community police may not like it, try to build a partnership where they are willing to enforce the smoke/tobacco-free policy on just a one random day each week. Nobody wants to be the tobacco police 24/7, but random days of enforcement where citations are issued will help curb the problems.

Sample Citation Progression...

• First offense: written warning
• Second offense: written citation, $25 fine
• Third offense: written citation, $50 fine and meeting with Dean of Students (for student violators) or Campus President/Director of HR (faculty/staff violators)
• Fourth offense: written citation, $75 fine – academic probation (students), one week suspension (faculty/staff)
• Fifth offense: expulsion from school (students), termination from employment (faculty/staff)
• While the enforcement/citation measures are needed to ensure the policy is followed, continue to emphasize the purpose of the policy is to respect the health of everyone on campus – not to “catch” smokers in the act. Research shows that SHS kills approx. 50,000 nonsmoking U.S. adults per year, and smokers need to respect everyone’s right to breathe clean air.
• Emphasize to smokers that the policy isn’t anti-smoker, it’s anti-smoke. Recognize that tobacco use is an addiction and adjusting to the policy could be difficult, but similar to smoke-free restaurants and airplanes – they need to make the adjustment to respect the health of others.
• Make cessation resources widely available for those who want to quit.