Smoking/Tobacco and Tobacco-Related Products-Free Policy
In an effort to provide a safe and healthy working and learning environment, Westmoreland County Community College adopts the following Smoking, Tobacco, and Tobacco-related Products Policy:
Rationale:
Westmoreland County Community College has a responsibility to its students, staff, faculty and visitors to provide a safe and healthy environment. Research shows that smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke are significant health hazards for both smokers and non-smokers. Improperly discarded cigarette butts and other smoking and tobacco product residue are environmental pollutants that pose dangers to humans and wildlife. In addition to these hazards, smoking and discarded cigarettes may create fire hazards and increased cleaning, maintenance, and repair costs; exacerbate student and employee illness resulting in lost class and work time; decreased productivity; and increased healthcare and insurance costs. In light of the above findings, Westmoreland County Community College will become entirely smoke (smoking) and tobacco-free.
Definitions:
“Smoking” means inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted or heated cigar, cigarette, pipe, hookah, or any other lighted or heated tobacco or plant product intended for inhalation, including marijuana, whether natural or synthetic, in any manner or in any form. “Smoking” also includes the use of an electronic smoking device that creates an aerosol or vapor, in any manner or in any form, or the use of any oral smoking device for circumventing the prohibition of smoking in this Article.
“Tobacco and Tobacco-Related Products” means any substance containing tobacco leaf, including but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, hookah tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, bidis, blunts, clove cigarettes, or any other preparation of tobacco; and any product or formulation of matter containing biologically active amounts of nicotine that is manufactured, sold, offered for sale, or otherwise distributed with the expectation that the product or matter will be introduced into the human body by inhalation, ingestion, or absorption; but does not include any cessation product specifically approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in treating nicotine or tobacco
“Electronic Smoking Device” means any product containing or delivering nicotine or any other substance intended for human consumption that is used by a person in any manner for inhaling vape or aerosol from the product. The term includes such device, whether manufactured, distributed, marketed, or sold as an e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe, e-hookah, or vape pen, or under any other product name or
Smoking and Tobacco Use Prohibited on the Westmoreland County Community College Youngwood Campus and all Education Centers
All employees, students, visitors, and other College constituents are prohibited from using any smoking, tobacco and tobacco-related products on all College-owned and College-operated property. This includes the Youngwood location as well as all Center locations.
Promotion and Sale of Tobacco Products Prohibited on the Westmoreland County Community College Youngwood Campus and all Education Centers
The advertising, sale, or promotional distribution of tobacco or other smoking- related products on campus is prohibited.
Compliance:
The success of this policy depends on the thoughtfulness, civility and cooperation of all members of the campus community, including visitors. Compliance is grounded in an informed and educated campus community. As with all campus policies, it is a standard and reasonable duty of all Westmoreland students, employees and visitors to comply with the provisions of this policy.
Students are subject to disciplinary actions per the Code of Student Conduct if found in violation of this policy. Employees are subject to disciplinary actions per the Discipline Policy if found in violation of this policy. Visitors who do not comply with this policy will be asked kindly to comply and, if they refuse, will be asked to leave the premises by security personnel.
Dissemination of Policy: Signage
This policy will be disseminated by publication on the College web page(s) and included in all appropriate publications containing College policies effecting students, employees and visitors. All College building entrances and College property access points will exhibit appropriate signage informing students, employees and visitors of the existence of this policy.
Effective Date:
This policy will be in effect as of August 1, 2020.