The University of Regina campus is giving smokers a month and a half to butt out. Starting August 1, all U of R campuses will be smoke free.
Under the new policy, smoking tobacco, marijuana, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, pipe tobacco and other smoking products will not be allowed on campus. Smoking will also be disallowed in any university owned or leased building, on owned property, in university owned vehicles, or in vehicles parked on university property.
The university says the policy updates the one that is currently in place, which allows for smoking in three places on campus.
“We believe the decision to go smoke free is the right thing to do due to the well-known health risks associated with smoking and second-hand smoke, and to discourage tobacco use among young people,” Dave Button, a spokesperson for the university said. “The University has also been considering the implications of the pending legalization of the recreational use of cannabis, which is expected this fall, and implementing a smoke-free policy now addresses many of the concerns associated with that federal initiative.”
Tobacco can still be burned on campus for smudging or pipe ceremonies and medical marijuana is also not banned under the new policy.
