Tobacco-Free Campus/No Smoking Policy

WPI is a Tobacco-Free campus and does not permit the use or sale of any tobacco products (combustible or smokeless), including E-cigarettes.  WPI joins a group of over 800 campuses with similar policies in the United States, including at least 20 in Massachusetts. This policy shall apply to all members of the WPI community including visitors to the campus. The WPI campus will be entirely free from tobacco products and E-cigarettes everywhere including all buildings, walkways, patios, playing fields, lawns, parking lots, parking garages and all WPI owned, leased or rented vehicles.

Tobacco products include, but are not limited to:

“E-cigarettes include any electronic oral device, such as one composed of a heating element, battery, and/or electronic circuit, which provides a vapor of nicotine or any other substances, and the use or inhalation of which simulates smoking.  The term shall include any such device, whether manufactured, distributed, marketed, or sold as an e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe, or under any other product name or descriptor.

“Smoking” means inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted or heated cigar, cigarette, or pipe, including a hookah pipe, or any other lighted or heated tobacco or plant product, including marijuana, intended for inhalation, in any manner or any form.  “Smoking” also includes the use of an e-cigarette, which creates a 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 Policy.

“Tobacco Product” means any substance containing tobacco leaf, including but limited to, cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, hookah tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, bidis, blunts, clove cigarettes, or any other preparation of tobacco; and any product or formulation of matter containing biologically active amounts of nicotine that is manufactured, sold, offered for sale or otherwise distributed with the expectation that the product or matter will be introduced into the human body by inhalation; but does not include any cessation product specifically approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in treating nicotine or tobacco dependence.

WPI’s Student Government Association spearheaded this initiative and subsequent policy based on data gathered over a three year period through surveys sent to faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students showing the desire of the majority of WPI community to become a tobacco-free campus.   The purpose of this policy is to limit the exposure of the WPI community to the many negative effects of tobacco products and secondhand smoke. Tobacco smoke, whether inhaled directly by a smoker or indirectly by another, as well as smokeless tobacco products, is a danger to one’s health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) underscores the health risk of secondhand, or passive smoke, by linking this type of smoke to lung cancer deaths and by classifying it as a Class A (known) carcinogen. Smoking, and the presence of accumulated secondhand smoke, as well as discarded tobacco product materials, is also a cause of annoyance, distraction, physical discomfort and stress.

WPI strives to create a community and atmosphere that is as free from recognized hazards as possible. Issues affecting the health, safety and well-being of WPI community members are important to mitigate wherever possible. Because WPI recognizes the hazards associated with secondhand smoke and tobacco products, we are endeavoring to assist with the elimination of the hazards to the entire community.  Additionally Removal from campus of tobacco products supports sound public policy. It is in direct correlation with current health care initiatives of Prevention of illness vs. Treatment of illness. The policy serves to assist in preventing community members from beginning to use tobacco products, thus promoting a healthier lifestyle.

Tobacco products are the #1 source of litter on earth. Discarded, unsightly cigarettes are not biodegradable and have traces of as many as a dozen carcinogens after their use. Cost saving benefits can be immediate on several levels…health care costs, buildings and grounds maintenance, potential fire and smoke damage, etc. Stopping the use of tobacco products has immediate health benefits for all community members.

Adherence to and management of this policy requires common sense, courtesy and support among members of the WPI community. Applicable signage will be installed to alert community members and visitors to the policy. Announcements at public events, reminders on programs and other materials, inclusion in the Student Code of Conduct, the Employee Policy & Benefits Manual, etc. will all be utilized to educate and remind. Students with concerns or questions should contact the Dean of Students Office and employees with concerns or questions regarding the policy should contact the Office of Human Resources.