Smoking Policy
As an institution of higher education, Rockland Community College recognizes its responsibility to provide education to our students on matters of good health. Consequently, upon the recommendation of the RCC Faculty Senate and the RCC Student Government Association, effective September 1, 2009, the entire campus environment was designated as Smoke-Free to thereby provide a healthier environment for the College community. The College has decided to treat tobacco products consistently since all tobacco products are addictive and harmful. Additionally, the College wants to address concerns that a prohibition solely on smoking may potentially encourage students to use more smokeless tobacco. Therefore, effective January 1, 2016, the entire campus environment is designated as Smoke-Free/Tobacco-Free.
A Smoke-Free campus is one in which the inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying of any lighted or heated cigar, pipe or cigarette, including but not limited to traditional or electronic cigarettes, hookah pipe, or any other lighted or heated tobacco or plant product intended for inhalation is prohibited. A Tobacco-Free campus is one in which any substance (tobacco product) containing tobacco leaf, including but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, hookah tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, bidis, blunts, clove cigarettes, or any other preparation of tobacco, not including any cessation product specifically approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in treating nicotine or tobacco dependence, is prohibited.
Effective January 1, 2016, smoking and other uses of tobacco products are prohibited on all College premises, which are defined as all buildings, facilities, and grounds owned, used, leased, operated, controlled, or supervised by the College. This includes but is not limited to, parking lots and adjacent areas such as the cemeteries. Smoking and other uses of tobacco products are also prohibited in College vehicles and equipment owned, leased or operated by the College.
This policy, which applies to all faculty, staff, students and visitors at RCC, will be enforced by the Public Safety Office.