General Catalog 2023-2024 
    
    May 18, 2024  
General Catalog 2023-2024

Tobacco and Smoke Free Policy


James Sprunt Community College is committed to creating a clean, safe, and healthy learning and working environment; and recognizes its responsibility to promote the health, welfare and safety for students, staff and others on college property. James Sprunt Community College also recognizes that the use of tobacco in any form poses serious and long-term health risks to individuals, therefore adopts the following Tobacco Use Policy. By implementing the College Tobacco Use Policy, James Sprunt Community College is seeking to enhance the health of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors to our campus.

Tobacco Use and Smoking Policy

James Sprunt Community College, in its efforts to create a healthier atmosphere for the campus community, strives to control exposure to secondhand smoke. It emphasizes prevention and education efforts that support non-use and that address the risks of tobacco use. To protect our students, staff, visitors and guests, James Sprunt Community College prohibits the use of tobacco products.

  1. At James Sprunt Community College, smoking and tobacco use is prohibited in the following locations:
    1. On all parts of the campus
    2. Inside all campus buildings (see item # 3 for definition of campus)
    3. In all college owned or leased vehicles.
    4. Includes all classes taught by JSCC personnel regardless of location.
  2. The College is committed to prevention and education efforts that support non-use and address the risk of tobacco use. The College also offers programs and services that include practical steps to quit using tobacco products, including smoking-cessation resources.
  3. Promotional advertising, sale, or free sampling of tobacco is prohibited on campus.
  4. The sponsorship of any campus event by tobacco-promoting organizations is prohibited.
  5. All tobacco advertising in public spaces in College locations, such as billboard and signage, is prohibited.
  6. This policy applies to trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, students, contractors, vendors, clients, and visitors.
  7. Tobacco advertisements are prohibited in College publications.
  8. Organizers and attendees at public events using James Sprunt Community College’s facilities, such as conferences, meetings, public lectures, athletic events, social and cultural events will be required to abide by the College’s Smoking Policy. Organizers of such events are responsible for communicating and enforcing this policy.

Definition of Terms

  1. Tobacco Products: For the purposes of this policy, tobacco is defined to include any lit or unlit cigarette, pipe, cigar, cigarillo, or other smoking equipment (whether filled with tobacco or any other type of materials), smokeless tobacco (use of snuff, dip, chew, smokeless pouches, or other forms of loose leaf tobacco), and any other tobacco product in any form. This is to include “e-cigarettes” or any device designed to introduce tobacco into the body.
  2. Students: Includes but is not limited to full-time day students, part-time students, commuter students, non-traditional students, and other special students.
  3. Campus: Includes any and all college owned, leased, or maintained property (includes all classes taught by JSCC personnel regardless of location) including but not limited to buildings, facilities, sidewalks, roadways, parking lots, and grounds.
  4. College vehicle: This includes college owned, rented, or leased vehicles.

Policy Implementation & Enforcement

It is the hope of James Sprunt Community College that students, employees, and visitors will recognize the value of this policy and voluntarily comply. Implementation and enforcement of this policy are the shared responsibility of the entire college community to promote a clean, safe, healthy environment in which to work, study, and live. Enforcement will begin with Campus Security monitoring the campus for violators and notifying offenders of the tobacco policy.

Any faculty member, staff member, or student may ask individuals to comply with this policy.

Violation of any campus policy may result in discipline. Faculty and staff should be referred to their Supervisor and/or to the Chief of Staff and/or Director of Human Resources. Students should be referred to the Associate Vice President of Student Services, or designee, for disciplinary action.

Assistance

To assist those who wish to quit smoking, James Sprunt Community College offers the following support:

  1. The James Sprunt Community College Human Resources Department will assist in referring those who wish to quit smoking to the appropriate professional resources.
  2. Faculty and staff may avail themselves of EAP resources for referrals to community smoking cessation.