SMOKING AND TOBACCO-FREE ENVIRONMENT | Policy Manual

5512 - SMOKING AND TOBACCO-FREE ENVIRONMENT

The Board recognizes that the use of tobacco products, including electronic smoking devices, is a health, safety, and environmental hazard for students, staff, visitors, and school facilities. The Board is committed to providing students, staff, and visitors with a smoking and tobacco-free environment on school property and at off-campus, school-sponsored events.

The Board also believes accepting gifts or materials from the tobacco industry will send an inconsistent message to students, staff, and visitors.

The Board recognizes that adult staff and visitors serve as role models for students. The Board embraces its obligation to promote positive role models in schools and to provide an environment for learning and working that is safe, healthy, and free from unwanted smoke or aerosol and other tobacco use for the students, staff, and visitors.

Definitions

“Any time”means twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week, 365 days a year.
“Electronic smoking device”means any product containing or delivering nicotine, or any other substance, whether natural or synthetic, intended for human consumption through the inhalation of aerosol or vapor from the product. “Electronic smoking device” includes, but is not limited to, devices manufactured, marketed, or sold as e-cigarettes, e-cigars, e-pipes, vape pens, or similar devices. “Electronic smoking device” also includes any component part of a product, whether or not marketed or sold separately, including but not limited to e-liquids, e-juice, cartridges, or pods.
“School property”means all facilities and property, including land, whether owned, rented, or leased by the Board, and also includes all vehicles owned, leased, rented, contracted for, or controlled by the Board and used for transporting students, staff, or visitors.
“Tobacco product”means any product containing, made, or derived from tobacco or that contains nicotine, whether synthetic or natural, that is intended for human consumption, whether chewed, smoked, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, snorted, sniffed, or ingested by any other means, or any component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product, including but not limited to: cigarettes; electronic smoking devices; cigars; little cigars; and other kinds and forms of tobacco.

General Statement of Policy

Students are prohibited from possessing, using, consuming, displaying, or selling any tobacco products, tobacco-related devices, electronic smoking devices, imitation tobacco products, or lighters at any time on school property or at any off-campus, school-sponsored event.
Administrators, staff, or visitors are prohibited from using, consuming, displaying, activating, or selling any tobacco products, tobacco-related devices, imitation tobacco products, or lighters at any time on school property or at any off-campus, school-sponsored events. This includes products or paraphernalia displaying tobacco industry brands.
It is a violation of this policy for administrators or staff to solicit or accept any contributions, gifts, money, curricula, or materials from the tobacco industry. This includes, but is not limited to, donations, monies for sponsorship, advertising, alleged educational materials, promotions, loans, scholarships, or support for equipment, uniforms, and sports and/or training facilities. It is also a violation of this policy to participate in any type of service funded by the tobacco industry while in the scope of employment for the Board.
It is a violation of this policy for any person to promote tobacco products on the school property or at off-campus, school-sponsored events via the display of images of tobacco products on gear, technology accessories, bags, clothing, any personal articles, signs, structures, vehicles, flyers, or any other material.
Instruction to discourage the use of tobacco products shall be included in the education provided for all students. Staff responsible for teaching tobacco use prevention shall have adequate training and participate in ongoing professional development activities in order to be able to effectively deliver the education program. The curriculum for this instruction will not be paid for or developed by the tobacco industry or its subsidiaries.

Exceptions

It is not a violation of this policy:

for a staff member or approved visitor to include tobacco products, tobacco-related devices, imitation tobacco products, or lighters in an instructional or work-related activity in District school buildings, if the activity does not include smoking, chewing, or otherwise ingesting the product; or
for a person to use or possess a product that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for sale as a tobacco cessation product, as a tobacco dependence product, or for other medical purposes, and if the product is being marketed and sold solely for such an approved purpose.

Opportunities for Cessation Programs

Administrators shall consult with the local public health department or other appropriate health and allied community-based organizations to provide students, staff, and administrators with information and access to support systems, programs, and services to encourage them to abstain from the use of tobacco products.

Administrators shall identify and offer evidence-based programs and services for staff members who use tobacco products to support them in complying with this policy.

Enforcement

The success of this policy depends upon the thoughtfulness, consideration, and cooperation of the entire school community. All individuals on school premises, including students, staff, administrators, and visitors, are responsible for adhering to and enforcing this policy. Members of the school community are encouraged to communicate this policy with courtesy and diplomacy. Any person acting in violation of this policy will be informed or reminded of the policy and asked to comply.

Enforcement of this policyshall be as specified in the Student Code of Conduct.

Dissemination of Policy

Notice of this policy will be provided through:

appropriate "No Tobacco" signage posted in the District on school buildings, building entrances, vehicles, vehicular entrances to school grounds, and indoor and outdoor athletic facilities;
written notice to students and parents/guardians in student handbooks and orientations;
written notice in staff handbooks, in orientations and employee or staff trainings, and when offering employment;
reminder announcements of this policy at school and District events, as appropriate.

Program Evaluation

This smoking and tobacco-free policy shall be assessed by the District or its designated evaluator at regular intervals, but at least once a year, to determine whether policies, policy enforcement, communication, education, staff training, and cessation programs are effective. Policies and programs shall be updated and revised accordingly.