Smoking and Tobacco Policy

Smoking and Tobacco Policy

This policy will take effect December 1, 2015

To protect the health and safety of college students, faculty, staff, and visitors on campus, and to create a cleaner and more sustainable campus environment, all areas of the North Central College campus, including owned and leased buildings and grounds (collectively “College Areas”), are smoke- and tobacco-free areas.

A.  DEFINITIONS

  • Smoking is defined as the use of smoke-producing tobacco products, including but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, mini-cigars, e-cigarettes, tobacco alternative vapor or vaping products and hookahs. All forms of smoking are prohibited.
  • Tobacco Use is defined as the use of any tobacco product including, but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, mini-cigars, hookah, chewing tobacco, snuf, and other smokeless tobacco products. All forms of tobacco use are prohibited.
  • E-Cigarette Use or Vaping is defined as the use of electronic smoking devices and/or electronic nicotine delivery systems. These products and delivery systems are also prohibited on any of the College Areas, even without the use of nicotine, and may be subject to confiscation and/or disposal.

FDA-approved tobacco/nicotine cessation aids, such as nicotine patches and gum, are notprohibited.

B.  SCOPE OF POLICY

The use of tobacco e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products (including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vaping and vapor devices, smokeless tobacco and all other tobacco products of any type) by students, faculty, staff, guests, visitors, and contractors is prohibited on all properties owned or leased by North Central College, including (but not limited to):

  • all interior space on campus and/or property leased by the College, including remote sites;
  • all outside property or grounds owned or leased by the College, including areas such as walkways (for example, the Sesquicentennial Walkway), breezeways, parking lots, and patios;
  • all vehicles leased or owned by the College;
  • all personal vehicles while on college property;
  • all indoor and outdoor athletic facilities.

This prohibition of tobacco products does not apply to public rights-of-way (sidewalks/streets) within the campus boundaries that are governed by City of Naperville. For a campus boundary map that displays prohibited areas, click here.

C.  COMPLIANCE

All College employees, students, visitors, guests and contractors are required to comply with this policy. Refusal to comply may be cause for disciplinary action in accordance with employee and/or student conduct policies. Refusal to comply with the policy by visitors, guests and contractors may be grounds for removal from campus. Reasonable enforcement efforts are expected by the unit supervisor for each facility or area of campus, and all members of the College community are encouraged to share the responsibility for bringing this policy to the attention of visitors.

D.  EXCEPTIONS

1. The use of tobacco products may be permitted in laboratory and classroom instruction/experiments, or for artistic/theatrical purposes. Tobacco use for any such research, educational, and/or artistic purposes must be approved in advance by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or a designee. Reasonable advance notice is required for the approval of any exception to the general prohibition except as provided in D (2) immediately below.

2. Specific activities used in connection with the practice of cultural activities by American Indians that are in accordance with the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, 42 U.S.C. sections 1996 and 1996a allow for the use of ceremonial tobacco. All ceremonial use exceptions must be approved in advance by a Vice President  or other designee.

E.  CESSATION PROGRAMS

The Dyson Wellness Center provides access to resources for those who are interested in quitting the use of tobacco products. These resources include nicotine replacement products for sale, access to College insurance-sponsored cessation programs, and referrals to local hospital cessation programs. For more information, contact the Dyson Wellness Center at 630-637-5550.