EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
SECTION:     PPP-53
SUBJECT:    Smoking/Tobacco Policy (revised 2008)

  

Tobacco-Free Campus

 Policy

 Effective August 11, 2008, ETSU is a Tobacco-Free Campus, with smoking and all other tobacco usage permitted only in private vehicles.  This policy applies to all university buildings/grounds; ETSU-affiliated off-campus locations and clinics; any buildings owned, leased or rented by ETSU in all other areas; and ETSU facilities located on the campus of the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Mountain Home.  Tobacco use is also prohibited in all state vehicles.  This tobacco-free policy is in effect 24 hours a day year-round.

 Background

 The university promotes a healthy, sanitary environment free from tobacco smoke and tobacco-related debris.  The ETSU community acknowledges that long-term health hazards may accrue to people who use tobacco products or who are subjected to second-hand smoke.  The failure to address the use of tobacco products on campus would constitute a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act and Tennessee law. 

Support

 Understanding the addictive nature of tobacco products, ETSU will make every effort to assist those who may wish to stop using tobacco.  The university offers current information about available resources via http://www.etsu.edu/humanres/smokingcessationresources.htm.

 Compliance

 It is the responsibility of all members of the ETSU community to comply with this Tobacco-Free Campus Policy.  Violations of the policy will be dealt with in a manner that is consistent with university procedures.  There shall be no reprisals against anyone reporting violations of this policy. 

 

Tobacco Free Campus Enforcement Policy

  1. Violations to the tobacco free policy, particularly reoccurring violations, are to be reported to Environmental Health & Safety at 439-6028 during normal business hours (8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) and to Public Safety 439-4480 after hours and on weekends.  A response to the violation will be handled by the Safety Technician which may ask for support from Public Safety or the Building Coordinators depending on the nature and location of the violation. 

  2. Any violator of the policy that refuses to comply or that becomes abusive toward the responsible party will be handled by Public Safety.

  3. A standard tobacco free policy violation form will be completed for each violation and will be forwarded to Human Resources for employee incidents or Student Affairs for student incidents.  The individual department will handle the progressive discipline for repeat violators.  Visitor violations will be forwarded to Public Safety and contractor violations to the Facilities Office to track repeat violations.

  4. No fines or citations will be part of the basic enforcement policy.