The University of Toledo became “Tobacco Free” in 2014, but, despite the ban, vaping is still evident on main campus. UToledo is not alone. According to a report by the American College Health Association (ACHA), in the fall of 2022 78 percent of students reported using e-cigarettes or other vape products within the last three months, while 40.8 percent reported having used cigarettes within the same time frame. ACHA collects vape and cigarette usage data each semester from approximately 125 institutions across the country.
In 2011, UT restricted tobacco use on the main campus to designated outdoor areas, with the University going so far as to erecting “butt huts” in several locations so smokers would have some protection from the elements when getting their fix.
Two years later, a student-led initiative prompted UT Trustees to re-examine the University’s policy.
In fall of 2013 a UT Student Government survey found 60 percent (3,049) of all respondents were in support of a complete ban across campus. Despite Student Senate refusing to support legislation backing a smoking ban, then UTSG President Emily Kramp and her Vice President Lauren Jencen moved forward on the proposal “without the SG brand.” With the support of the University Council and the Faculty Senate, the pair brought the proposal to the administration. After listening to arguments from both sides of the issue, the Board of Trustees adopted the ban in April 2014. It took effect in fall of that year.
The policy bans the use of tobacco— including cigarettes, snuff, chew, and other smokeless tobaccos—and the use of electronic cigarettes on all UToledo campuses. As part of the new policy, “Tobacco Free” signs were posted around campus and advertisements and sales of tobacco on campus were halted.
The policy encourages people to confront smokers themselves, or to report those they see violating the smoking ban. The ban is not a law, and therefore is not enforced by campus police.
Student violators should be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (OSC&CS). The conduct office handles violations on acase-by-case basis, avoiding punitive measures altogether, according to Alex Lewin, Associate Director of OSC&CS. Students who have violated the policy will receive sanctions that “aim towards helping the student learn from the incident and understand the impact they have made for themselves and others,” Lewin said.
The sanctions attempt to guide the student toward repairing harm and figuring out how to make different decisions moving forward. The philosophy behind the conduct focuses on aiding students with making choices that align with the values of the collective and themselves, he said.
For faculty and staff violators people should report them to their respective unit head.
Dr. Jason Rose, a psychology professor at the University, said communityis very important when attempting to quit. He encourages students to rely on their peers for support as well. “Research shows that people are more likely to engage in a health behavior when they have social support and interact with someone going through a similar situation,” he said.
The UToledo Counseling Center has a specialized programming for quitting, but students can also utilize outside resources such as 1-800-QUIT-NOW, which pairs callers with a specialist who will help them set up a plan. Another external source is smokefree.gov, where the user is able to find support and aid, no matter where they are on their tobacco cessation journey.
People who spot a violation of the tobacco ban can report it to OSC&CS in person in SU 2518 or by contacting atodprevention@utoledo.edu.
