Smoke and Tobacco Free Community Policy

Rationale

Lewis & Clark acknowledges and supports the findings of the Surgeon General that tobacco use in any form, active and/or passive, is a significant health hazard. The institution further accepts that environmental tobacco smoke has been classified as a Class-A carcinogen, and that there is no safe level of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

The Oregon Smokefree Workplace Law informs the institution in its response to the public health threat of tobacco smoke.  Additionally, Oregon Senate Bill 754 prohibits the purchase of tobacco products by persons under 21 years of age, and prohibits persons under 21 years of age from possessing tobacco products or inhalant delivery systems while the person is present on college grounds or in facility buildings, or is attending college-sponsored activities.

Policy

Lewis & Clark prohibits smoking, the use of tobacco products and the use of inhalant delivery systems. These prohibitions extend to all Lewis & Clark spaces including, but not limited to, buildings, private vehicles on Lewis & Clark property, on sidewalks, in parking lots, in recreational areas and athletic venues, in other outdoor areas managed by the institution, and in Lewis & Clark-owned or leased vehicles (collectively “Lewis & Clark Property”). This policy applies to all events on Lewis & Clark property and sponsored activities off-campus. Oregon law and this policy also prohibit the possession of tobacco products or inhalant delivery systems by persons under the age of 21 on Lewis & Clark Property.

Definitions

1. “Smoking” is defined as:

a)   Burning any substance and then either inhaling or exhaling the product. Items that may not be smoked on campus include but are not limited to, tobacco cigarettes, clove cigarettes, herbal cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and hookah shisha.

2. “Inhalant delivery system” is defined as:

a)     A device that can be used to deliver nicotine in the form of a smoke, vapor, or aerosol to a person inhaling from the device; or

b)     A component of a device described in this subparagraph or a substance in any form sold for the purpose of being vaporized or aerosolized by a device described in this subparagraph, whether the component or substance is sold separately or is not sold separately.

“Inhalant delivery system” does not include any product that has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for sale as a tobacco cessation product or for any other therapeutic purpose, if the product is marketed and sold solely for the approved purpose.

3. “Tobacco products” are defined as:

a)     Bidis, cigars, cheroots, stogies, periques, granulated, plug cut, crimp cut, ready-rubbed and other smoking tobacco, snuff, snuff flour, cavendish, plug and twist tobacco, fine-cut and other chewing tobaccos, shorts, refuse scraps, clippings, cuttings and sweepings of tobacco and other forms of tobacco, prepared in a manner that makes the tobacco suitable for chewing or smoking in a pipe or otherwise, or for both chewing and smoking;

b)     Cigarettes; or

c)     A device that:

(i) Can be used to deliver tobacco products to a person using the device; and

(ii) Has not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for sale as a tobacco cessation product or for any other therapeutic purpose, if the product is marketed and sold solely for the approved purpose.

Exceptions

Individuals may request exceptions to this policy for the use of smoking, tobacco products, or inhalant delivery systems. Exceptions will be considered in the following circumstances:

1. In laboratory and classroom instruction/experiments. All such exceptions must be approved in writing in advance by the Dean.
2. In cultural or religious ceremonies or events. All such exceptions must be approved in writing in advance by the Dean of Diversity and Inclusion, however appropriate school- specific contacts will have the opportunity to provide counsel in this process.

If an exception to this policy is granted, the petitioner must complete advance notice to the public of the nature and location of the activities in question.

Compliance

All Lewis & Clark employees, students, visitors, guests, and contractors are required to comply with this policy, which shall remain in effect at all times.  Failure to comply with the policy by visitors, guests, and contractors may be grounds for removal and/or exclusion from campus. Failure to comply with the policy by employees and students may result in disciplinary action. Violations of this policy can be reported at http://go.lclark.edu/Report.