Toolkit for Implementation

Overview

One of the missions of Penn State is to be a leader in promoting quality of life, and to enhance the health and well-being of the Penn State community. Creating a healthy environment for all and helping the people who are part of our community embrace healthy behaviors will enable the University to effectively achieve its mission.

Penn State is committed to the health and well-being of its students, employees and visitors. We encourage healthy lifestyles and minimizing exposure to tobacco products on Penn State campuses to support this mission. As a result of much discussion and collaboration among students, faculty, staff, and administration, and in a step toward enhancing health, policy AD32 has been changed and now prohibits the use of tobacco in and on all University owned or leased properties, facilities, and vehicles. Smoking and tobacco use are permitted in personal vehicles on Penn State properties.

Employees with positions governed by a current collective bargaining agreement are not affected by this policy at this time.

Specifically, the following actions have been or will be taken to support the new policy:

1. Adoption of a smoke-free and tobacco-free Penn State, with smoking and tobacco prohibited on all campuses, and all University owned or leased properties, facilities and vehicles. Advertisement, distribution and sampling of tobacco products and tobacco merchandise are prohibited on all Penn State campuses and properties and at all University-sponsored events.
2. Implementation of the policy will begin in the fall 2018 semester with the entire semester used for communications and roll out of this initiative. Communications will continue through the spring of 2019, with the addition of signage on Penn State properties.
3. Support for any faculty, staff, and student who wish to stop using tobacco or nicotine products through free smoking and tobacco cessation programs, and inclusion of information about smoking and tobacco cessation resources on the University’s tobacco-free website. Nicotine replacement therapy products for the purpose of cessation are permitted.
4. The success of this policy depends upon obtaining and maintaining the willingness, understanding and cooperation of all tobacco and non-tobacco users at all University locations. It is the responsibility of all members of the Penn State community to establish and maintain smoke-free/tobacco free campus environments. Each University member is responsible for monitoring compliance with this policy at his/her level of involvement in the University community.
5. Communication across the entire Penn State Community to build understanding and adherence to the policy.

One commonly asked question is how the policy will be enforced at Penn State. Penn State strives to create a culture that encourages compliance by promoting and supporting a healthy environment. Members of the Penn State community, when confronted with policy violations, should be respectful of all members of our campus community, including tobacco users. Members of the Penn State community can refer to this toolkit as guidance on how to support this policy change and how to help facilitate understanding of this new policy in instances of students, faculty and staff, and visitor violations.

Your Role

As a Penn State community member, you are a strategic partner in implementing the policy. Communicating about the policy is essential to the success of this policy:

1. Be informed: The smoking and tobacco free policy AD32 is as states:

   Smoking and the use of tobacco are prohibited in and on all University owned or leased properties, facilities, and vehicles. The following purposes are exempted:

   1. Research
   2. Cultural and religious uses.

   Smoking includes the burning of any type of lit pipe, cigar, cigarette, or any other smoking equipment, whether filled with tobacco or any other type of material. Tobacco is defined as all tobacco-derived or containing products, including and not limited to cigarettes (e.g., clove, bidis, kreteks, electronic cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos), hookah smoked products, pipes and oral tobacco (e.g., spit and spitless, smokeless, chew, snuff) and nasal tobacco. It also includes any product intended to mimic tobacco products, contain tobacco flavoring or deliver nicotine, other than for the purpose of cessation.

2. Communicate with others: Share information about the tobacco-free policy with your peers, learn how to interact with a student, colleague, or visitor violating the policy, and share resources available. Another important message to relay to all faculty, staff, students, and visitors is the boundary of campus and the surrounding neighborhoods. The university is committed to being a good neighbor and being respectful of surrounding property. This includes being mindful of litter, loitering and second-hand smoke, and the noise level that may be caused as a result of off-campus tobacco use.
3. Be supportive: It’s important to understand that for some, adapting to the new policy may be challenging. Respect these challenges and offer positive support for anyone who needs it.
4. Know the resources: Check out tobaccofree.psu.edu for cessation resources.

Additional policy information

• Review the Tobacco-Free website.
• Be familiar with the cessation resources available in your community.
• For general policy questions check out the FAQ.
• Any other questions can be directed to tobaccofree@psu.edu.

Tobacco Cessation Resources

A list of tobacco cessation resources is available at tobaccofree.psu.edu.

Approaching someone who is Using Tobacco

If you encounter anyone using a tobacco product on campus grounds, remember to be courteous and respectful.

• Assume the person is not aware of the policy.
• Be polite and friendly.
• Explain that the use of tobacco products is not permitted on university owned or leased property.

Guidance for Visitors

All members of the Penn State community have the responsibility to communicate the tobacco free ordinance to their campus visitors. To facilitate your conversation with campus visitors, direct them to the tobaccofree.psu.edu website.

For Supervisors

Below is an example of an effective messaging strategy which can be used to educate employees about the policy:

Penn State has adopted a tobacco-free policy that supports a healthy campus for all members of the Penn State community. Smoking and the use to tobacco are prohibited in and on all University owned or leased properties, facilities, and vehicles. The policy includes all University locations. Smoking and tobacco use are permitted in personal vehicles on Penn State properties.

Communications about the policy will continue through the spring of 2019, with the addition of signage on Penn State properties.

The consideration and cooperation of tobacco users and non-tobacco users alike is needed to fully implement the policy. The university is highly committed to supporting any faculty, staff, and students who wish to stop using tobacco products. Tobaccofree.psu.edu includes information about cessation resources at all Penn State locations.

It is important to incorporate this communication into meetings, emails, and other forms of communication directed toward employees. It is important to be open to personal meetings with employees to discuss questions about the policy. Offer assistance in connecting individuals with appropriate resources, which are listed at tobaccofree.psu.edu.

Tips for Supervisors Responding to Violations of the Policy

It is Penn State’s intent that enforcement will be achieved primarily through education, awareness, and a spirit of cooperation. However, supervisors may need to respond to reports of policy violations and repeat violations.

• Meet to discuss any issue(s) related to the tobacco-free policy.
• Be respectful and convey understanding that this change is difficult for tobacco users in your response and dialogue.
• Help the employee develop an acceptable plan that reflects the policy. If the employee wants to quit tobacco products, tell the employee about cessation resources at tobaccofree.psu.edu. If the employee does not want to quit, educate them about campus boundary lines and relay policy expectations.
• Summarize the meeting and future expectations of the employee going forward.
• To avoid future issues of noncompliance, schedule a follow-up meeting to determine if the employee’s plan is working. For support in your supervisory role, contact The Office Human Resources for assistance.