University to Join More than 1,000 Colleges and Universities, Making All USA Campuses 100 Percent Tobacco Free

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Posted on April 17, 2015

Alice Jackson

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The University of South Alabama will become part of an increasing trend in higher education on Aug. 1 when the main campus, the USA Baldwin County campus and the health care system will officially become 100 percent tobacco free.

The announcement was made in an email to students and employees on Thursday, April 16, following months of study and separate surveys of both students and employees by the University’s Wellness Initiatives Committee. The group drafted the policy and recommended its implementation. The committee reached its decision in support of the healthiest environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors.

President Dr. Tony Waldrop said in the email that the University “recognizes its responsibility to offer assistance to employees and students who wish to stop using tobacco products, and we have several free tobacco cessation programs now in place.”

The only exception to the policy will be to allow smoking inside personally owned vehicles.

The new policy statement includes: 

• The use of all forms of tobacco products and nicotine products and smoking on all property owned (structures, land and vehicles), and/or in the possession of (leased, and rented by), the University of South Alabama is prohibited.

• This policy is applicable for all students, faculty, staff, temporary/contract employees, contractors, patients and visitors.

• Tobacco products include any products containing tobacco leaf, including but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, etc.

• Nicotine products include any products containing nicotine for human consumption used in any type of electronic smoking device including, but not limited to, e-cigarettes and vaping. Also prohibited are hookah products used to produce smoke and/or vapor from the burning of tobacco, shisha and other plant matter.

• Smoking includes inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted or heated tobacco, marijuana or plant product whether natural or synthetic, intended for inhalation.

• Cessation products specifically approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in treating nicotine or tobacco dependence are excluded.

For complete information on the policy, go to https://www.southalabama.edu/tobaccofree.

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