Beginning this summer, Marywood will ban the use of all tobacco products on campus.

The new smoke-free policy was passed by the Policy Committee earlier this month and will go into effect July 1. According to an email from Mary Theresa Gardier Paterson, Esquire, secretary of the university and general counsel, the policy aims to provide a safe and healthy environment for students, faculty, staff, and the Marywood community.

According to the policy, smoking, any use of tobacco products, and other smoking-related products of any kind are prohibited on all Marywood University properties, including but not limited to, all buildings, walkways, parking lots, athletic fields, and in any university-owned vehicle.

Smoke-free policies on college campuses are trending. According to no-smoke.org, there are at least 1,514 smoke-free campuses as of January 2015, up from 586 in October 2011.

Alexander Fallek, student government association (SGA) president, senior business management major, and student representative on the policy committee, said that the discussion about the policy centered on how it would be enforced.

All student violations of the policy will be reported to the Senior Director of Student Conduct and Residence Life, Ross Novak. Employee violations will be reported to the Associate Vice President for Human Resources, Patricia Dunleavy, for appropriate action.

“The vote to approve the policy was passed with almost all in favor of it,” said Fallek.

Sophomore Criminal Justice major, Maryrose Evanella, said she was excited to learn of the new policy.

“I think [the policy] is great. I’m so sick of smelling cigarette smoke all over campus and wafting into some classrooms in the LAC,” said Evanella.

Dunleavy, chair of the committee appointed to study tobacco use on campus, said that as the policy goes into effect, her department will work to promote cessation programs for those who wish to quit smoking.

“Marywood’s motto calls us to pursue “Sanctitas, Scientia, Sanitas” – holiness, knowledge, and health,” said Dunleavy. “Given the health issues related to tobacco use, Marywood’s choice to go tobacco-free at this time is a strong statement in support of the university’s mission.”

Contact the writer: [email protected]