Tobacco-Free Policy

In accordance with Act 211 of the 2013 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette intends to provide a tobacco-free environment for its faculty, staff, students, and visitors. Smoking and the use of all tobacco products is prohibited within all University buildings, facilities, campus grounds, University vehicles, and all property that is owned, operated, leased, occupied or controlled by the University, except in special situations defined in this document.

Any advertising, marketing, or promotion of tobacco products or tobacco-related companies is prohibited on a University campus, at University-sponsored events or through other University assets. Distribution of tobacco products is prohibited on a University campus or at University-sponsored events.

Littering a campus with the remains of tobacco- or smoking-related products is prohibited.

This policy shall become effective August 1, 2014.

Download the tobacco-free policy.

Read the tobacco-free policy Q&A.

Purpose of Policy

This policy is created to promote the health, well-being, and safety of students, faculty, staff, and visitors at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette by minimizing the negative effects of tobacco use and encouraging a more sustainable environment.

Applicability

This policy applies to all students, faculty, staff, visitors, and contractors.

When conducting meetings or other events on a campus, businesses, organizations, and entities are expected to comply with the terms of this policy, and communicate this requirement to all their employees and attendees of their meetings or events.

This policy is applicable to all University buildings (owned, leased, or occupied), athletics facilities (indoor and outdoor), campus grounds, and University vehicles.

Definitions

• “Tobacco” is defined as all tobacco-derived or containing products, including and not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, pipes, hookah-smoked products, smokeless tobacco, and all oral and nasal tobacco products (e.g., chewing tobacco, snuff).
• “Smoking” is defined as inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, or possessing any lighted tobacco product, including cigarettes, cigars, hookah-smoked products, pipe tobacco, and any other lighted combustible plant material.
• “Campus Grounds” is defined as exterior open spaces, covered walkways, breezeways, walkways between sections of buildings, exterior stairways and landings, recreational areas, University-owned parking lots, driveways, loading docks, University-owned streets, shuttle bus stops, and sidewalks within all University campuses.
• “Contractor” is defined as anyone contracted to do work at a University site.

Policy Procedure

University department heads and directors are responsible for ensuring that this information is communicated to everyone under their supervision.

An explanation of the tobacco-free campus policy is to be communicated to prospective and enrolling students and new employees. Additionally, event planners shall be asked to include information about the policy in materials distributed to persons that use University facilities.

Assistance with tobacco use cessation for students, faculty, and staff is available through the Office of Student Health Services and the Counseling and Testing Center.

Enforcement

Compliance with this policy is expected from all University students, faculty, staff, visitors, and contractors. Persons who are non-compliant shall be asked to comply by their respective administrative supervisors. Persons who repeatedly refuse to comply with this policy will be referred to the Office of Human Resources (if an employee) or the Office of Student Life and Conduct (if a student) for appropriate disciplinary action.

Visitors in violation of this policy will be referred to this document for review and asked to stop violating the policy. Visitors repeatedly in violation of this policy will be referred to University Police and asked to leave the campus.

Policy Management

The Office of Public Safety is responsible for administering and updating this policy. This Policy will be reviewed six (6) months after its initial implementation, and as needed thereafter.

Exclusions

Tobacco use may be permitted on University-owned properties that are leased or otherwise convey an interest to a non-University party, according to the provisions of the applicable lease or agreement, and with the prior approval of the Vice President for Administration and Finance.

Tobacco use in facilities that are not owned, leased, or controlled by the University are subject to the tobacco policies applicable to those particular facilities, and are exempt from this policy

This policy does not apply to:

• Grounds outside of athletics facilities during NCAA public events, including parking lots and tailgating areas.
• Smoking in personally owned vehicles parked or being driven on the campus.  However, because University Parking Garages are considered State buildings, smoking is not allowed within vehicles that are parked within these garages.
• Public sidewalks that border the campus.  For more information, view the maps of the main campus and University Common.

• Areas within a fenced construction project in which the contractor has complete care, custody, and control of the job site.
• The use of tobacco products necessary in the course and scope of University research, provided the University employee obtains the prior approval of the Vice President for Research.  Tobacco smoke generated from research must be contained within a laboratory fume hood.
• The use of tobacco-less electronic cigarettes (or “e-cigarettes”), provided that they are only used on campus grounds as defined in this policy. In other words, the use of e-cigarettes is not permitted inside buildings.  Parking garages are considered state buildings and as such, e-cigarettes are not permitted within parking garages.
• Natural organic pesticides containing tobacco or tobacco derivatives and used in the official maintenance of the University campus grounds or as an academic instructional material.

References and Related Materials

• Louisiana Revised Statutes 40:1300.251 to 40:1300.263
• Louisiana Revised Statues 30:2522(4) and 30:2531(A)(3)