Smoking ban in effect on all campuses

By Juan Lopez

Special to The Guardsman

This semester marks the beginning of a smoke-free campus, according to a newly enforced ban implemented by the City College board of trustees. The ban, passed in April, exempted medical marijuana users, according to a May 10 Guardsman dispatch. But that exemption was not enacted.

“I researched the issue and found that none of the other institutions that have adopted a smoke free campus policy have allowed an exception for medicinal cannabis,” college General Counsel Steve Bruckman stated in a report. “Adoption of such an exception would be an open and public statement contrary to federal law.” The report stated it could put the college’s funding at risk.

Board Policy 2.17 states, “Smoking and the use of tobacco products, including the lighting and burning of all tobacco products, and marijuana products is prohibited on all San Francisco Community College District facilities, grounds and District-owned vehicles by students, faculty, staff, administrators, volunteers, and visitors.” This extends to vapes and e-cigarettes.

If the ban is enforced by campus officials, anyone caught smoking this semester will be issued a warning. Starting spring semester, after one warning, those caught smoking will be fined $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense and $100 for each subsequent offense.

By then, an appeals system will be in place as well as the option to do community service in lieu of paying fines. Proceeds from fines will fund educational operations for the policy, according to procedures. Previous designated smoking areas will no longer be recognized.