FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The Smoke and Tobacco-Free campus policy at SDSU applies to all university spaces indoor and outdoor, including parking lots and private residential space. The new policy applies to all SDSU facilities, whether owned or leased. California state law already prohibits smoking in all indoor areas within 20 feet of public buildings (including colleges and universities), and in all state-owned vehicles.
National data indicates that exposure to secondhand smoke is known to cause death and disease and is the third leading cause of preventable death in this country, killing more than 40,000 non-smokers each year. The Surgeon General of the United States has concluded that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke and any exposure to tobacco smoke – even an occasional cigarette or exposure to secondhand smoke – is harmful. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found secondhand tobacco smoke to be a risk to public health, and has classified secondhand smoke as a group A carcinogen, the most dangerous class of carcinogen. Furthermore, the California Air Resources Board has categorized secondhand smoke as a toxic air contaminant.
Possession of a valid medical marijuana card does not permit possession or use of marijuana in campus residential facilities (e.g. apartments and residence halls) or on university property. SDSU, under Title IV, Part A – Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act does not permit possession or use of marijuana on campus.
Students can find help to stop smoking at Student Health Services. Employee health providers each have their own cessation programs.
E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular, though much about the risks associated with them is unknown. Designed in size, shape and color to resemble the real thing, e-cigarettes are actually small, battery-powered vaporizers. The act of inhaling triggers a sensor that causes a tiny heating element to heat up the nicotine cartridge inside, turning the nicotine into an odorless vapor. E-cigarettes create no second-hand smoke, which has added to their popularity. In addition to the different flavors, cartridges come in varying levels of nicotine and some come without nicotine.
No. The use of clove cigarettes is prohibited by the Smoke and Tobacco-free Campus policy. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that smoking clove cigarettes is associated with an increased risk for lung damage. See CDC information on clove cigarettes.
Yes. The use of all tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco products like chewing tobacco and snuff, is prohibited on all university property or in university vehicles.
Yes. Organizers and attendees at public events, such as conferences, meetings, public lectures, social events, cultural events, and sporting events using university facilities are required to abide by the Smoke and Tobacco-Free campus policy. Organizers of such events are responsible for communicating the policy to attendees.