Boston College Campus Goes Smoke, Vape Free

NEWTON, MA — Boston College will be a smoke-free, tobacco-free and vape-free campus, the university said this week, joining thousands of other colleges and universities.

There are now at least 2,490, according to the advocacy group American Nonsmokers Rights Foundation. In 2017 there were 2,082, according to the Centers for Disease and Control.

Beginning Aug. 1, the school's sweeping policy will ban smoking, vaping, or using any tobacco or plant product on all Boston College campuses.

“The purpose of this policy is to provide reasonable protection of the health of all members of the Boston College community from the effects of all forms of smoking and tobacco use," according to the policy.

Officials said the new policy reflects the school's desire to provide a healthy environment.

Undergraduate and graduate students who disobey the policy will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct; faculty and staff violations will be dealt with in accordance with procedures outlined in the faculty and employee handbooks.

Officials said the policy grew out of discussions during the past few years that, among other points, raised the question as to why the school invested so much in the health and well-being of its employees and students, yet permitted smoking and tobacco use on campus.

"At every university where I have worked, going back at least 20 years, the campus was smoke- and/or tobacco-free," said Vice President for Human Resources David Trainor in a statement. "When we reviewed survey data from colleges and universities in the greater Boston area, we found that virtually all were smoke- and/or tobacco-free. So it made sense for us to implement a similar policy."

Research shows smoking, tobacco use, and exposure to second-hand smoke have been found to cause a number of health issues. And more recently researchers are finding electronic cigarettes, too, pose health risks and contain detectable levels of carcinogens and toxic chemicals.

"Fewer and fewer people are smoking in general; the health benefits of not smoking are widely known and understood; and the dangers of second-hand smoke have been proved," said Vice President for Student Affairs Joy Moore in a statement. "So, with all of these factors in play, it seemed like the right time to officially establish BC as a smoke-free campus."

Trainor and Moore said they recognize the difficulty smokers and tobacco users often face in quitting, and urged those interested to get help through the school's resources.

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