Smoke and Tobacco Free Campus Policy

A.     Purpose

Kalamazoo College is committed to the promotion of a healthy and safe learning, living and working environment. The College recognizes the increasing weight of scientific evidence that use of tobacco products presents a danger to both the user and those exposed to its use. The U.S. Surgeon General has determined that tobacco use in any form, active or passive, is a significant health hazard; there is no safe level of exposure. It is the policy of Kalamazoo College to achieve an environment that is tobacco/smoke-free.

B.     Definitions

  1. “Electronic Smoking Device” means any electronic or battery-powered product containing or delivering nicotine, tobacco, THC, cannabis or other illicit substances intended for human consumption that can be used by a person in any manner for the purpose of inhaling vapor or aerosol from the product. The term includes any such device, whether manufactured, distributed, marketed, or sold as an e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe, e-hookah, dab rig or vape pen, or under any other product name or descriptor.
  2. “Hookah” means a water pipe and any associated products and devices which are used to produce fumes, smoke, and/or vapor from the burning of material including, but not limited to, tobacco, shisha, or other plant matter.
  3. “Smoking” means inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted or heated cigar, cigarette, pipe, hookah, or any other lighted or heated tobacco or plant product intended for inhalation, whether natural or synthetic, including marijuana/cannabis, in any manner or in any form. “Smoking” also includes the use of an electronic smoking device which creates an aerosol or vapor, in any manner or in any form, or the use of any oral smoking device for the purpose of circumventing the prohibition of smoking in this Article.
  4. Smokeless Tobacco includes chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco (dip), snuff, nasal tobacco (snus) and/or any other variation of smokeless tobacco products.

C.     Scope

The Smoke and Tobacco Free Campus Policy applies to all College property and College-owned vehicles, regardless of the location. This includes all sites whether owned or leased. This policy applies to all employees, temporary employees, students, clients, all visitors (e.g., vendors), consultants, independent contractors, and/or their employees on College property. The only excluded areas are public sidewalks and public roadways that border the campus.

D.     Policy

The tobacco-free policy prohibits the use of all tobacco products including traditional cigarettes, pipes, cigars, electronic smoking devices, hookah or water pipe smoke products and oral tobacco (chew, snuff, snus, etc.) as defined within the Scope of Coverage. With prior approval, smoking may be permitted for religious and spiritual rituals or ceremonial purposes in places approved for these activities. Requests must be submitted in writing and will be considered for approval by Campus Safety and the Dean of Students or designee.

E.      Enforcement

It is the responsibility of the administration to ensure compliance with this procedure. It is the responsibility of college leaders, managers, supervisors, and facilities managers to inform their employees of this policy and promote compliance in their areas’ responsibility and on the larger campus, and it is the responsibility of employees to inform the students. Persons who violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary actions in the same manner as violation of other College policies.

If someone is observed violating this policy the following steps are recommended:

  1. Politely remind the person of the smoke- and tobacco-free Campus Policy and reference the respective signage. Inform the person of the policy and that it can be found on the Kalamazoo College website.
  2. Violations of the policy may be reported to Campus Safety, Student Development or Human Resources. These offices will refer to their respective policies for adjudication process and sanctioning.  

F.      Assistance to Tobacco Users

Kalamazoo College is strongly committed to supporting individuals to become nicotine-free. If you would like assistance in quitting, please contact or visit the resources provided below. Nicotine replacement therapy products (e.g., nicotine patches, gum) for the purpose of cessation are permitted provided they do not give the appearance of smoking.

  • The Michigan Tobacco Quitlink offers free information, tobacco treatment referral, online program, and text-messaging 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) in English or 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569) in Spanish. Free counseling and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) may be available to certain callers.
  • BecomeAnEX (‘EX’) is run by Truth Initiative®. Truth Initiative is the largest non-profit public health organization dedicated to helping people quit tobacco.
  • Smokefree Text Messaging Programs
  • Smokefree Apps

Also see  Drug-Free Workplace policy for employees and Drug Policy for students for questions regarding policy on cannabis use.