Sacramento City College Smoke/Tobacco/Vape (STV) Free Environmental Standard

Transcription

1 Sacramento City College Smoke/Tobacco/Vape (STV) Free Environmental Standard In the interest of promoting a healthy learning and working environment for its students and employees, Sacramento City College has decided to create a campus completely free of the use of tobacco and exposure to smoke and vapor from traditional and electronic smoking devices and their associated health risks. The decision has been based on data gathered from surveys of students, staff, faculty, and administrators; input from all campus governing constituencies; and health recommendations from the medical community. This environmental standard will go into full effect August 20, Section 1: Background The health dangers of tobacco use are well documented as are the negative health impacts of secondhand smoke. The Surgeon General has concluded that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found secondhand tobacco smoke to be a risk to public health, and has classified secondhand smoke as a group A carcinogen, the most dangerous class of carcinogen. Furthermore, the California Air Resources Board has categorized secondhand smoke as a toxic air contaminant. Tobacco smoke

2 is hazardous to smokers and non-smokers alike. In addition, the American Lung Association warns that electronic cigarettes and vaping additives are unregulated by the FDA and therefore are potentially toxic to smoke as well as inhaled as second hand smoke. Tobacco use in any form is addictive and can interfere with the health and future success of students as they move on to other institutions of higher learning or jobs where nicotine use is not permitted. To encourage a healthy lifestyle, promote the future success of our students, and protect all individuals on our campuses from smoke exposure, SCC will provide a smoke/tobacco/vape-free environment. Section 2: Definitions A. Smoking means inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted or heated cigar, cigarette, or pipe, including a hookah pipe, or any other lighted or heated tobacco or plant product, including marijuana, intended for inhalation, in any manner or in any form. Smoking also includes the use of an e-cigarette which creates a vapor, in any manner or in any form, or the use of any oral smoking device for the purpose of circumventing the prohibition of smoking in this Standard. B. Tobacco products is defined as all tobacco-derived or containing products, including but not limited to, cigarettes (including clove, bidi, and kretek), cigars, cigarillos, hookah smoked products, electronic cigarettes or vapor/vaping devices, and oral tobacco (e.g., spit and spitless, smokeless, chew, dip, snuff, snus) and nasal tobacco. It also includes any product intended to mimic tobacco products, contain tobacco flavoring and/or deliver nicotine. This definition does not include any product

3 that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for sale as a tobacco-use cessation product. C. Smoke/Tobacco Free means that the smoking of any material with any device, the use of smokeless tobacco products, the use of unregulated nicotine products and the use of e-cigarettes is strictly prohibited on all campus properties. D. E-cigarette means any electronic smoking device, such as one composed of a heating element, battery, and/or electronic circuit, which provides a vapor of nicotine or any other substances, and the use or inhalation of which simulates smoking. The term shall include any such device, whether manufactured, distributed, marketed, or sold as an e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe, or under any other product name or descriptor. E. Vaping is defined as the act of inhaling water vapor through a personal vaporizer or electronic smoking device. Section 3: Smoking Prohibited on Sacramento City College Campuses The Smoke/Tobacco/Vape Free Environmental Standard applies to all SCC properties and vehicles owned or leased, regardless of location. All smoking and tobacco uses including but not limited to, tobacco smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of all electronic smoking devices (e-cigarettes, vaping, etc.) are prohibited in all indoor and outdoor locations on SCC campus properties. In parking lots, smoking is only allowed inside private vehicles. This standard applies to all students, faculty, staff, and other persons on campus, regardless of the purpose of their visit. Section 4: Promulgation

4 Multiple methods shall be used to ensure that anyone on the SCC campus is aware of the SCC Smoke/Tobacco/Vape-free Environmental Standard. It is important that current students and employees, prospective students and employees, campus visitors and others using SCC facilities know the standard. Such methods may include, but are not limited to, signage, electronic and written publications, and meeting presentations. Recognizing the need to support members of its community who do use tobacco, SCC will continue to provide smoking cessation guidance and referrals to students and employees during the Spring, 2016, Semester, and after this Environmental Standard is implemented. Section 5: Enforcement All faculty, staff and students have a collective responsibility to promote the safety and health of the campus community. Individuals are encouraged and empowered to inform others tactfully and respectfully about the new standard thus encouraging a culture of compliance. It is the responsibility of deans, directors, and department heads to communicate this policy to their employees and volunteers and for event organizers to communicate this to event attendees. In addition, visitors, guests, volunteers, trainees, vendors, contractors, and supplemental staff employed through the engagement or contracting process must be made aware of and are expected to adhere to this Smoke/Tobacco/Vape Free Environmental Standard. It is expected that all employees will follow guidelines related to our college being a smoke/tobacco/vape free campus.

5 Student violation of this standard may lead to disciplinary action per the Los Rios Regulation 2441 Students Rights and Responsibilities.