Smoke-free and tobacco-free Saint Mary’s campus as of November 19

Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., and Saint Mary’s College strive to foster a healthy and productive environment for all sisters, employees, students, faculty, staff, vendors, volunteers, and visitors. Tobacco use negatively affects the entire community and compromises Saint Mary’s and Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc.’s, decades of investment in a preventive health portfolio. 

• Environmental tobacco exposes bystanders to numerous harmful chemicals. 
• Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world. 1.7 billion pounds of cigarette butts are littered worldwide each day. 
• Cigarette butts are a fire hazard, increase maintenance expenses and can be eaten by dogs, birds and other animals. 
• Filters are non-biodegradable and can take 5–10 years to decompose. 
• Chemicals (e.g. hydrogen, cyanide, arsenic, etc.) in cigarette butts leak into the soil and water.

College is a critical time in young adult development during which many lifestyle habits are formed. As partners in ministry with Saint Mary’s College, we have an unprecedented opportunity to promote sustained healthy behaviors among students. In 2012, the Surgeon General reported that each day in the U.S. 3,800 young people under 18 years of age smoke their first cigarette and over 1,000 youth under age 18 become daily cigarette smokers. Nearly 100% of adults who smoke daily started smoking when they were 26 or younger.

Yes, there really is a health risk. The Surgeon General has found that there is no safe level of second-hand smoke. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, second-hand smoke contains more than 4,000 substances, several of which are known to cause cancer in humans and animals. As the college and the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc. strive to become one of the healthiest places on the globe, it is imperative that we consider the impact of tobacco on the health and well-being of sisters, employees, faculty, staff, students, vendors, volunteers and visitors. 

The Smoke-Free/Tobacco-Free Policy means that no tobacco use will be allowed on any Saint Mary’s or Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc.,-owned, operated, and leased property.  

Tobacco is defined as all tobacco-derived or containing products, including and not limited to, cigarettes (e.g., clove, bidis, kreteks), electronic cigarettes (vaping), cigars and cigarillos, hookah smoked products, pipes oral tobacco (e.g., spit and spitless, smokeless, chew, snuff) and nasal tobacco (e.g., snus). It also includes any product intended to mimic tobacco products, contain tobacco flavoring, or deliver nicotine other than for the purpose of cessation. 

Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., and Saint Mary’s College have a responsibility to establish policies that positively affect the health and well-being of all sisters, employees, students, faculty, staff, vendors, volunteers and visitors. A Smoke-Free/Tobacco-Free Policy does not prohibit tobacco use; it merely establishes where use can and cannot occur. Tobacco is legal for adults to purchase and consume. 

All forms of tobacco are prohibited. The health risks associated with “chew” as well as other smokeless tobacco products are well documented.

Using hookahs or any other device to smoke tobacco are prohibited. Additionally, using hookahs to smoke non-tobacco products is prohibited. Using hookahs and other devices promote tobacco use as an acceptable behavior, which is not acceptable at Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc. or Saint Mary’s College. 

E-cigs are not permitted. There is insufficient evidence that these devices positively affect smoking, and they are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration as smoking cessation devices; therefore, e-cigs cannot be used on Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., or Saint Mary’s College property. They contain tobacco flavoring and so are prohibited under our policy. Using e-cigs promotes tobacco use as an acceptable behavior, which is not acceptable at Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc. or Saint Mary’s College. 

Parking lots and roadways owned, operated, and leased by Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., and Saint Mary’s College are covered by the policy. Tobacco use is prohibited in any vehicle parked on college or Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., owned, operated or leased property. 

Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., encourages and supports employees who request assistance in eliminating dependence on the use of tobacco products. On the CSC Intranet employees should go to Departments>Human Resources to find Smoke-Free &Tobacco-Free communications and resources, or contact Human Resources at 574-284-5660 for more information. There are numerous resources for both those employees on our health plan as well as those not participating in the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., health plan. One such resource for all is Saint Joseph Health System's Community Health and Well-Being and Tobacco Initiatives Division. Contact the Tobacco Education coordinator at 574-335-4684. 

Yes. Hourly employees can leave campus during scheduled meal periods as long as they are following policy and clocking out when leaving campus and clocking in upon returning. Non-exempt hourly staff are not permitted to leave campus during break periods. Hourly staff should be mindful of the length of their meal period in accordance with their department’s attendance policy. Employees should not trespass, loiter or litter on public or private property to smoke during breaks. Please respect our neighbors.

If you don’t have time to walk off campus during your meal period, check out the cessation resources available to employees. Tobacco cessation services are covered through Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., medical plans. Enrolled employees must pay the applicable out-of-pocket expenses based on the service received. Individuals that are not enrolled in Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., health plan should check with their own insurance companies for possible coverage.

Breaks are usually timed to ensure business needs are met. The length and time of breaks cannot be changed to accommodate tobacco use. Refer to departmental policies and/or supervisors regarding options, if applicable. It is important to consistently and fairly apply policies and business practices.

Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., is supportive of tobacco users who desire to quit using tobacco products. Options for attending tobacco cessation sessions are based on the department’s business needs and may include the use of leave time in accordance with Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc. FMLA or Elective Leave policies.  Please work with Human Resources for these leave requests in a timely manner so the needs and support of the sisters are met due to business needs. Keep in mind there are various types of cessation resources; approval for time away from work to participate in a cessation program is subject to approval by Human Resources in consultation with the Department director. 

While the policy only applies to Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., and Saint Mary’s College owned, operated, and leased properties, we ask that employees, students, faculty, staff, volunteers, vendors and visitors help maintain a positive relationship with our neighbors and respect neighboring properties outside the campus. Leaving campus to use tobacco or smoke does not give anyone permission to litter, loiter or trespass on private or public property. Property owners have the right to enforce their boundaries. Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc. is committed to monitoring the impact on adjacent properties as the Smoke-Free/Tobacco-Free Policy is implemented. 

Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc.’s, vision for the enforcement of the Smoke-Free/Tobacco-Free Campus Policy is one in which a Smoke-Free/Tobacco-Free campus is viewed as a shared responsibility of all those in the campus community, tobacco users and non-users alike. Individuals are encouraged and empowered to respectfully inform others about the policy in an ongoing effort to support individuals to be Smoke-Free/Tobacco-Free, improve individual health and encourage a culture of compliance; however, substantiated chronic violations are subject to appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination. 

Employees are not required to stop using tobacco products; however, they will not be permitted to use tobacco products on any Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., or Saint Mary’s College property. Similar to regulations which prohibit smoking indoors, individuals must find ways to manage their need for nicotine in ways that do not involve using tobacco on campus. 

Being Smoke-Free/Tobacco-Free promotes a healthier environment in which to live, work and study. Enforcement will depend upon the thoughtfulness, consideration and cooperation of all sisters, employees, faculty, staff, students, vendors, volunteers and visitors to comply with the policy and to encourage others to do the same. Anyone who observes a possible violation may courteously and compassionately inform the individual of the Smoke-Free/Tobacco-Free Policy.

Address your concern with the individual; appropriately educate them about the policy and connect them with resources. 

Our individual responsibility is to educate people about the initiative. Not everyone will feel comfortable approaching someone who is using tobacco. If you choose to approach someone and are met with resistance, you need not press the issue. Specific concerns with regard to noncompliance can be directed to the appropriate supervisor or Human Resources. 

You are empowered to hold employees accountable to Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., policy expectations. First, explain the expectations outlined in the policy and provide appropriate resources. If there are continued violations, identify the impact of the employee’s actions and manage it appropriately. You are encouraged to contact Human Resources for help with how to address matters of non-compliance. 

Notices bearing the message “Tobacco/Smoke-Free” will be posted at major Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., and Saint Mary’s College vehicular, pedestrian and building entrances. Whether or not a notice or sign is posted, all Saint Mary’s College and Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc., property is Tobacco/Smoke-Free. 

Targeted communications and engagement are planned to convey expectations and identify resources to all special populations. 

As of January 2, 2020, the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation notes that there are at least 2,487 100% smoke free campus sites. Of these, 2,062 are 100% tobacco free, 2,094 prohibit e-cigarette use. 

The Sisters of the Holy Cross, Inc. Smoke-Free/Tobacco-Free Policy is listed above.