Description

SIU School of Medicine Tobacco and Smoke Free Policy

Statement of Policy

The mission of SIU School of Medicine is to assist the citizens of central and southern Illinois in meeting their health care needs through education, patient care, and research, in order to meet these needs, it is imperative that we support an improvement in the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve. The SIU School of Medicine Tobacco- and Smoke-Free Policy reflects our mission of caring and reinforces our commitment to protect the health and safety of patients, students, guests, employees, and others who visit or work throughout our campus. For these reasons, tobacco use and/or smoking are not allowed within any SIU School of Medicine facility or on any surrounding SIU School of Medicine-owned or 100% leased properties. This prohibition does not apply to any instance in which an individual is traveling through or parked in a vehicle that is not owned by SIU School of Medicine.
The SIU School of Medicine became Tobacco-and Smoke-Free in 2006. This Policy is being updated, effective July 1, 2015, in compliance with the Illinois Smoke-Free Campus Act, 110 ILCS 64/1 et seq.


DEFINITIONS

Campus: all property, including building, grounds, parking lots, and vehicles that are owned or operated by Southern Illinois University. “Campus” does not include enclosed laboratories, not open to the public, where the activity of smoking is exclusively conducted for the purpose of medical or scientific, health related research.

Employee: an individual who is employed by Southern Illinois University or SIU School of Medicine in consideration for direct or indirect monetary wages or profit.

Guest: a visitor to the campus of SIU School of Medicine.

Smoke or smoking: the carrying, smoking, burning, inhaling, or exhaling of any kind of lighted pipe, cigar, cigarette, hookah, weed, herbs, or other lighted smoking equipment. “Smoke” or “Smoking” also includes products containing or delivering nicotine intended or expected for human consumption, or any part of such a product, that is not a tobacco product as defined by Section 321 (rr) of Title 21 of the United States Code, such as e-cigarettes or other similar products that rely on vaporization or aerosolization, unless it has been approved or otherwise certified for legal sale by the United States Food and Drug Administration for tobacco use cessation or other medical purposes and is being marketed and sold solely for that approved purpose. “Smoke” or “smoking” does not include smoking that is associated with a native recognized religious ceremony, ritual, or activity by American Indians that is in accordance with the federal American Indian Religious Freedom Act.

Student: means any individual enrolled in a credit or noncredit course at SIU School of Medicine.

General Principles and Enforcement

  1. There will be no use of tobacco products or smoking allowed within the facilities or on the properties of SIU School of Medicine. Although employees are asked to respect the intent of our tobacco- and smoke-free environment, employees are allowed to use tobacco and/or smoke in personal vehicles located in an SIU School of Medicine-owned parking lot. In these limited cases, smoking should be confined to breaks and lunches only, heeding all appropriate departmental guidelines for break times. SIU School of Medicine employees working in properties not owned by the School should follow any policies with stricter guidelines than these.
     
  2. The use of tobacco products and smoking are not allowed in any SIU School of Medicine-owned vehicle at any time or in personal vehicles while transporting persons on SIU School of Medicine authorized business.
     
  3. Communication of these guidelines with patients and visitors will be initiated prior to visit whenever possible and upon request, through patient communications, appropriate signage in all facilities, and by reminders from staff when necessary. A smoke-free map indicating the locations where smoking is prohibited under this policy shall be posted on the SIU School of Medicine’s website. Repeated observations of the same violating patient should be reported to SIU School of Medicine Security for appropriate resolution.
     
  4. Enforcement of this policy is a requirement of all management and supervisory staff. Observance of policy violations should result in immediate intervention. The observing manager or supervisor should instruct the employee to stop the tobacco use, reinforce the policy’s intent to help protect the health and safety of patients and others, and encourage policy compliance. Repeated observations of the same violator should be reported to the violator’s immediate supervisor or manager. Chronic disregard of this policy will be subject to corrective action in accordance with the existing disciplinary process.
     
  5. Disciplinary proceedings will be conducted for violations of this Policy. Disciplinary procedures shall be implemented according to the applicable collective bargaining agreement and/or the applicable University policies and procedures.
     
  6. The Standards of Conduct shall govern the disciplinary process for students for violation of this Policy. The Professional Conduct and Misconduct Policy and Due Process and Resident Complaint Policy shall govern disciplinary action for Residents and Fellows, as applicable, for violations of this Policy.
     
  7. Appropriate action may be taken against contractors, their sub-contractors doing business on SIU School of Medicine property, facilities or leased properties, program participants, and visitors to SIU School of Medicine who violate this Policy. Appropriate action may include loss of access to SIU School of Medicine-related facilities, property, or equipment, or other appropriate sanctions.
     
  8. Smoking cessation programs are available, using current employee benefits to support employees who wish to quit tobacco use. Please contact the Employee Benefits Department for more information regarding such programs.

Retaliation Prohibited

An individual subject to the smoking prohibition of this policy may not discriminate or retaliate in any manner against a person for making a complaint of a violation of this policy or furnishing information concerning a violation to a person, campus, or governing body.

Campus Map

Click on the map for a larger printable version.

Tobacco and Smoke Free Policy - Frequently Asked Questions

Effective: July 10, 2006
Revised: July 1, 2015