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NANTICOKE — Students at Luzerne County Community College will have to leave their tobacco products at home when classes begin Monday.
According to college President Tom Leary, a new tobacco-free policy that was suggested by the college’s Wellness Committee was instituted last month.
The policy, which is enforced by the campus security department, “prohibits any and all tobacco and tobacco-related products on all college-owned and college-operated property,” even including college-sponsored events off campus.
Products banned include cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, chewing tobacco and hookah-related products. Products that help people stop using tobacco, such as nicotine patches, are allowed on campus.
“The new policy was passed in order to create and sustain a healthier environment for the college community,” Leary said via email.
The policy will be a change for students. The college had designated outdoor smoking areas “for the past several years,” Leary noted.
The policy states that students in violation of the policy will have a range of consequences, including meeting with a college official to discuss the policy on the first violation to possible expulsion on the fourth violation.
Visitors may be permanently banned from the college if found in violation of the policy, and employees will be referred to the human resource office.
The college is “committed” to helping individuals who make the decision to quit using tobacco, Leary said. Students are able to use resources in the Student Life and Athletics offices whereas staff members can seek help through human resources.
Colleges around the area
Tobacco policies at King’s College, Misericordia University and Wilkes University require those using tobacco to remain at least 20 feet away from campus buildings.
Misericordia, located in Dallas Township, provides receptacles on campus for smokers.
“It is the responsibility of all members of the university community to comply with this policy,” Paul Krzywicki, manager of public relations and publications at Misericordia University, said.
According to Krzywicki, the university has not had any habitual offenders in recent memory. Repeat offenders can be put on probation and receive a residential suspension.
At Wilkes, the buildings are smoke-free, Vicki Mayk, director of public relations, said in an email.
The policy at the Wilkes-Barre school was adopted for the 2015-2016 academic year. As far as Mayk knows, there are no penalties involved with enforcement of the policy.
Across the city at King’s College, the tobacco policy was instituted in August 2007, according to John McAndrew, the college’s director of public relations.