Purpose:
Wilberforce University strives to maintain a healthy workplace and productive environment for all faculty, staff, students, and visitors.
Under the Ohio State Smoking ban law, ORC 3794, all “public places” and “places of employment” are to have special conspicuous “No Smoking” signs posted at each entrance to a building. The signs must be clearly legible and contain a toll-free number (866-559-OHIO) for reporting violations to the State Health Department.
Rationale: Wilberforce University recognizes the serious health consequences of tobacco use. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the United States. Breathing secondhand smoke is proven to result in a variety of negative health effects. We want to provide our faculty, staff, students and visitors with a tobacco-free environment. To protect the health and safety of our campus community, Wilberforce University is adopting a 100% tobacco-free campus policy.
Definition: For the purpose of this policy, “tobacco product” 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.
Tobacco Use Prohibited: Tobacco use is prohibited;
- By students, staff, faculty, visitors, vendors and contractors;
- At all times, 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
- In or on all property owned, leased, or rented by Wilberforce University including; in any building or facility (including, but not limited to, campus housing, classroom buildings, libraries, dining halls, etc.); on all grounds (including, but not limited to athletic grounds and stadiums, parking lots or garages, walkways, etc.); in any vehicle owned, leased or chartered by Wilberforce University.
Tobacco-use should also be discouraged at any school-sponsored or related event, when such an event occurs off property owned by Wilberforce University.
Enforcement: Infractions of this policy by students, staff and visitors will be addressed by established Wilberforce University policies and procedures. Language regarding adherence to this policy shall be included in all executed contracts (e.g. vendors, contractors).
Students will be provided notice of this policy through student handbooks. Faculty and staff will be provided notice of this policy through personnel handbooks. All campus vehicles (whether owned, rented or leased) will display the international “No Smoking” insignia.
Educational Reinforcement: Tobacco education and cessation shall be closely coordinated with other components of Wilberforce University health program. Preparation and professional development activities shall provide basic knowledge about the effects of tobacco use and effects of peer pressure on tobacco use combined with effective instructional techniques and strategies, program-specific activities and offering of (or referral to) cessation programs (e.g. 1-800-QUIT-NOW or campus’ own cessation program). Announcements regarding the policy will be made during university-sponsored events, as well as at all campus functions where deemed appropriate. Event programs will include a written reminder of the policy.
Tobacco Promotion Prohibited:Tobacco advertising, sales (including vending machines), and distribution are prohibited on college campus grounds, in all sponsored publications and at all college campus sponsored events. All Wilberforce University campuses that are affiliated organizations are prohibited from accepting any form of contribution including, but not limited to, financial support, gifts (such as curriculum, book covers, speakers, etc.) or in-kind support from the tobacco industry for the sponsorship or promotion of any event or activity affiliated in any manner with Wilberforce University.
Tobacco Contribution Prohibited: This policy prohibits accepting any form of contribution from tobacco companies including, but not limited to: financial support, gifts (book covers, curriculum, speaking engagements, signage), or in-kind support from the tobacco industry for the sponsorship or promotion of any event or activity affiliated with Wilberforce University.
*Exemptions can include FDA approved cessation devices, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), Native American use or for religious reasons, and public, private or university-sponsored research, where use is limited to a controlled laboratory environment.
This policy shall be effective on: September 1, 2017
