Printed on: 04/18/2024. Please go to policy.umn.edu for the most current version of the document.
University of Minnesota  Administrative Policy

Smoke and Tobacco Free Campus: Crookston, Duluth, Rochester, and Twin Cities

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Policy Statement

The University of Minnesota, Crookston, Duluth, Rochester, and Twin Cities are smoke- and tobacco-free campuses. All students, staff, faculty, and visitors are prohibited from smoking and using, selling, free distributing, and advertising tobacco products and electronic cigarettes in all facilities and on all University property. The University of Minnesota, Morris has a separate policy: Smoke-Free Indoor Air.

Exceptions

Tobacco use will be permitted on University property only in these situations:

  • Peer-reviewed, approved scientific studies that require participants to use tobacco, require advance approval (see procedure.)
  • Tobacco use as part of a traditional Native American spiritual or cultural ceremony is permitted without prior approval in non-residential spaces. To ensure that ceremonies held indoors do not inadvertently activate fire alarms or sprinkler systems, event organizers must follow the attached procedures.
  • Theatrical productions where performers are permitted to use tobacco as part of the theatrical performance, theater staff must meet the notification requirements (see procedure.)
  • Enclosed, privately-owned vehicles, while driving on campus or parked in surface parking lots as defined by the appropriate campus office that oversees parking, provided users make a reasonable effort to contain smoke and tobacco materials inside the vehicle.

Enforcement

The success of this policy will depend upon the thoughtfulness, consideration, and cooperation of everyone on campus, including tobacco-users and non-users. All members of the University community are encouraged to promote compliance with this policy. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors who violate this policy should be reminded of the policy and asked to comply. Repeated violation of this policy may be cause for disciplinary action in accordance with applicable student or employee codes of conduct. Visitors who refuse to comply with this policy may be asked to vacate campus property.

Reason for Policy

The University of Minnesota is committed to promoting and protecting the health and well-being of all campus community members and fostering an environment of respect for people and property through education and practice. This commitment, along with the wealth of research documenting health risks associated with tobacco use, the assessments of regional and national trends, and input from the campus community provide the rationale for the establishment of the University as a smoke- and tobacco-free campus. Implementing this comprehensive policy protects and enhances the health of students, faculty, staff, and visitors, and promotes social norms that support healthy living and lifestyle choices, by discouraging tobacco use, protecting against involuntary exposure to harmful secondhand smoke, and encouraging and supporting cessation efforts.

Contacts

Subject Contact Phone Email
Primary Contact(s) Mikaela Robertson   [email protected]
All Campuses:
Confidential Reporting		 UReport 1-866-294-8680  
Twin Cities: Request policy promotion materials or report a location with frequent policy violations Share the Air Initiative   [email protected]
Responsible Individuals
Responsible Officer Policy Owner Primary Contact
  • Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
  • Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
  • Mikaela Robertson
    Health Promotion Specialist

Definitions

University Property

All real property, buildings, and facilities under the primary control of the University through ownership, lease, or other means. This includes all public or private locations, arenas, stadiums, and halls that the University has leased for University events, including, but not limited to, academic and administrative meetings, intercollegiate and intramural sporting events, and student, faculty, and staff activities. University property also includes all places of residence owned or leased by the University.

Using tobacco

The act of using any cigarette, pipe, cigar, cigarillo, electronic cigarette, hookah, or other smoking equipment, the use of smokeless tobacco, and the use of any other tobacco product in any form.

Smoking

Inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying of a lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe, or other lighted smoking product. The burning of any type of lighted pipe, cigar, cigarette, or any other smoking equipment or device, whether filled with tobacco or any other type of material.

Tobacco product

Any product containing, made, or derived from tobacco 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; cigars; little 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 tobacco; shorts; refuse scraps, clippings, cuttings and sweepings of tobacco, and other kinds and forms of tobacco. Tobacco products excludes any tobacco product that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as a tobacco cessation product, a tobacco dependence product, or for other medical purposes, and is being marketed and sold solely for such an approved purpose.

Electronic cigarette

Any oral device that provides a vapor of liquid nicotine, lobelia, and/or other substance, and the use or inhalation of which simulates smoking. The term shall include any such devices, whether they are manufactured, distributed, marketed, or sold as e-cigarettes, e-cigars, e-pipes, or under any other product name or descriptor.

Scientific study

Any peer-reviewed scientific study related to the health effects of smoking, sanctioned and formally approved by the University of Minnesota.

Theatrical production

Any theatrical performance sanctioned and approved by the University of Minnesota.

Responsibilities

Student Health Services and the University Wellbeing Program

Offer extensive cessation programs and services and nicotine replacement therapies for students, faculty and staff ready to quit tobacco use.

Policy Owner

Assess the policy, to determine whether the policy, policy enforcement, communication, education, staff training, and cessation programs are effective. Update the document(s) and programs as needed.

Related Information

History

Amended:

December 2022 - Comprehensive review. Changes to the policy are limited to resource updates for accuracy (i.e. updating tobacco cessation resource listings) and a few minor language changes to increase the accuracy of the policy language and promote inclusivity through language choice.

Amended:

November 2018 - Comprehensive review, minor revisions. Ownership change from EVPP to the Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. Minor updates to the contact list and tobacco cessation resources for each campus.

Amended:

February 2014 - Moves from smoke-free indoor air to a total campus prohibition of smoking or using tobacco at four system campuses effective July 2014. Administrative Policy: Smoke Free Indoor Air remains effective until July 1, 2014. Specifies the limit situations in which smoking would be allowed, with the proper advance approval from the policy owner or designate.

Amended:

July 2011 - Comprehensive Review; Main contact for policy questions is now the FM Call Center. Added reference to Board of Regents Policy: Health and Safety and Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act; added definitions; added exception provisions; clarified roles and responsibilities.

Amended:

October 2004 - Eliminated smoking from all resident rooms and from within 25 feet of all building entrances. Smoking used to be allowed in designated resident rooms.

Effective:

April 1998

Supercedes:

Twin Cities Campus Assembly's Twin Cities Campus Smoke-Free Policy, June 1993 and Smoke Free Indoor Air Policy, August 1993.