Palm Beach State College Board Policy

Title: Smoking, Vaping, and the use of Tobacco and/or Tobacco Products

Policy Number: 6Hx-18-7.07

Legal Authority: Ch. 386, FS & 1001.64, FS

Date Adopted/Amended: Adopted 5/12/2009, Amended 9/14/2021

 

Policy Statement

Palm Beach State College is committed to providing a safe, healthy, and comfortable environment for all those who conduct business or visit the College.


Scope of Policy

This policy applies to:

  • All students, faculty, and college staff, full or part time, temporary, and interns.
  • All visitors (customers and vendors) while on the College’s premises.
  • All volunteer, contractors, consultants and/or their employees working on the College’s premises.

 

Definitions

Smoking means inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, or possessing any lighted tobacco product, including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and any other lighted tobacco or other dry herb product.

Vape or Vaping means to inhale or exhale vapor produced by a vapor-generating electronic device or to possess a vapor-generating electronic device while that device is actively employing an electronic, a chemical, or a mechanical means designed to produce vapor or aerosol from a nicotine product or any other substance.

Vapor means aerosolized or vaporized nicotine, or other aerosolized or vaporized substance produced by a vapor-generating electronic device or exhaled by the person using such a device.

Tobacco use means the personal use of any tobacco product, whether intended to be lit or not, which shall include smoking, as defined above, and the use of all types of smokeless tobacco, including snuff; snus; chewing tobacco; smokeless pouches; any other form of loose-leaf, and the use of unlit cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco.


Policy

It is the policy of the Board of Palm Beach State College to prohibit smoking, vaping and the use of tobacco or tobacco products on college premises and vehicles leased or owned by the College, including but not limited to, all buildings and portions of buildings owned or leased by the College, including, the atria, entryways, enclosed hallways within buildings while on college premises. Smoking, vaping and the use of tobacco or tobacco products is permitted only in the parking lot(s) and in designated smoking areas established by the campus administrator and Facilities.

Additionally, smoking, vaping or tobacco products may not be sold or advertised on college premises. Littering any college premises with the remains of tobacco products is also prohibited.

Moreover, cessation products, such as nicotine gum, lozenges or patches, are not restricted under this policy.


Policy Application

All complaints regarding the application of this policy will be submitted to the Security office and will be handled as follows:

  • Complaints of an alleged violation by an employee will be forwarded to the office of Human Resources.
  • Complaints of an alleged violation by a student will be forwarded to the office of the Dean of Student Services.
  • Complaints of an alleged violation by a non-employee or non-student (visitors, volunteers, customers, vendors, contractors, and consultants and/or their employees) will be investigated by the Security office.

The complaint should be submitted in writing and should identify specific incidents, including but not limited to the approximate time that the incident occurred. The College will investigate the complaint and resolve it in accordance with this policy.

No individual shall suffer any form of retaliation for raising a complaint or asking a question about this policy.

Employees who fail to adhere to this policy will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Students who fail to adhere to this policy will be subject to disciplinary action according to the student code of conduct. Any other category of persons may be asked to leave college premises for failure to adhere to college policy.