The University of Iowa announced on Tuesday that it will prohibit the use of tobacco products on campus, including electronic cigarettes, beginning with the fall semester, underscoring a commitment to support a healthy campus and workforce.

The proposed comprehensive Tobacco-Free campus policy amends the university’s current Smoke-Free campus policy, which prohibits cigarette and cigar smoking on the UI campus. Among the products that will be prohibited from on-campus use under the Tobacco-Free policy are:

• Electronic cigarettes

• Chewing or smokeless tobacco

• Snuff or snus

• Pipes, water pipes (hookahs), bidis and kreteks

The new policy will take effect on Aug. 24, which is the start of the fall academic semester.

The policy applies to students, faculty, staff, and visitors. It covers all buildings, vehicles, and outdoor areas owned, leased, or controlled by the UI.

“The university is committed to supporting a healthy campus culture and promoting the well-being of all campus community members,” says Susan Buckley, vice president of human resources at the UI. “This commitment, along with a significant amount of research documenting health risks associated with tobacco use, the assessments of regional and national trends, and input from the campus community provide the rationale for the establishment of a tobacco free campus policy to include the use of e-cigarettes.”

Last fall, the UI Office of the President charged a work group to meet with various stakeholders on campus about the Smoke-Free campus policy, and to investigate broadening the policy to include e-cigarettes and other forms of tobacco. Most groups—in athletics, college/divisional leadership, facilities, health-care administration, health sciences leadership, physician leadership, police, residence housing, and student life and student government leaders—supported the expanded policy.

The move toward a tobacco-free campus follows similar initiatives at higher-education institutions in the Big Ten and nationwide. Among the UI’s conference peers, Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio State have adopted comprehensive tobacco-free policies. Various national health organizations, including the American Heart Association, support the measure.

One topic that came up regularly in the work group’s discussions with campus stakeholders was whether to include e-cigarettes in the tobacco-free policy. The battery-operated product that produces vapor from inhaling nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals has become a popular alternative to tobacco cigarettes, especially among the younger set. The FDA is expected to rule this summer whether to classify e-cigarettes as tobacco products; the state of Iowa regulates e-cigarettes as a tobacco product, prohibiting their sale to minors.

From this information and with the support of the majority of campus individuals surveyed, the work group recommended including e-cigarettes in the new policy. It also aligns with University Housing rules prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in residence halls.

The university, through the human resources department, will form a team to address how best to put the policy into effect, including communicating the changes to all audiences.

"Implementation of the policy will require the cooperation of all of us, and we want civility and collegial goodwill to guide us through this transition," Buckley says.

Here are resources to help individuals stop using tobacco:

• For students: Student Health & Wellness—Free tobacco cessation services. 319-335-8370 or student-health@uiowa.edu

• For faculty and staff: UI Wellness liveWell program—Free tobacco cessation services, plus up to $500 reimbursement for Nicotine Replacement Therapy or prescription medications that may not be covered by one’s health insurance. 319-353-2973 or livewell@uiowa.edu

• For Iowans: QuitLine Iowa—Free tobacco cessation resource available to all Iowans. 1-800-QUIT-NOW.