Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

A: In order to provide a healthy working and learning environment for the campus community, SUNY Canton will become a Tobacco-Free Campus in 2014. Tobacco-use has negative health consequences for non-smokers and the environment. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have all classified second-hand smoke as a ‘known human carcinogen.’ A carcinogen is a cancer causing agent. According to the American Lung Association, each cigarette contains approximately 600 ingredients, which when burned create more than 4,000 chemicals. Secondly, tobacco-use has significant environmental impacts including: deforestation, fire risk, creating litter, air and ground pollution.

A: SUNY Canton will transition to a tobacco-free campus beginning, Fall 2012. During this time, designated smoking areas on campus will be reduced and the campus plaza and other areas declared tobacco-free. Tobacco use is permitted only in parking lot locations that are at least 50 feet away from all campus buildings or in specifically designated areas. Tobacco use in other areas of the campus, including inside all campus-owned vehicles, is prohibited. Designated tobacco and tobacco-free areas can be found at: http://www.canton.edu/map/tobacco.pdf 

Smoking materials must be extinguished and disposed of prior to entering SUNY Canton’s Campus or exiting your vehicle.  Improper disposal includes but not limited to:

• Spitting smokeless tobacco products
• Littering (i.e. discarded cigarette butts, throwing cigarette butts out of windows, leaving spit containers
• Anything that creates fire hazards

A: This policy applies to all College employees, students, visitors, and vendors and is driven by respect for others and the environment.

A: “Tobacco” is defined as all tobacco and tobacco-derived products intended for human consumption, including, but not limited to: cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars, hookah-smoked products, clove cigarettes, bidis, kreteks, synthetic marijuana, smokeless tobacco and snus. This definition does not include any product that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for sale as a tobacco use cessation product.

A: Enforcement is the shared responsibility of the entire campus and relies on the thoughtfulness, consideration, and cooperation of tobacco users and non-users for its success. SUNY Canton will inform members of the campus community about the tobacco policy by widely disseminating information about the policy on a regular basis. Policy non-compliance will prompt an initial educational response which will include information regarding the existence of the policy, the rationale for the policy, and the availability of tobacco cessation support services both on and off campus. Repeated non-compliance will be referred to the appropriate campus student conduct or employee supervisory system for resolution. Employees and students will be treated respectfully in the consistent observance of the policy.

A: Over 700 colleges and universities in the United States have enacted smoke-free or tobacco-free policies on their campuses. There is no evidence that these policies have negatively impacted enrollment. However, it is difficult to know if someone decided not to apply to SUNY Canton due to the tobacco-free policy.