Smoke, Tobacco and Vape-Free Campus Policy

Knox College is committed to community health and wellness, and strives to provide a campus environment where all students and employees can thrive. As part of this commitment to community health, effective June 1, 2025, Knox College is a smoke, tobacco and vape-free campus. This means smoking and the use of all tobacco products and non-FDA approved nicotine products, as well as electronic smoking devices containing any substance, is prohibited on all campus property, both indoors and outdoors, and in college-owned vehicles.

This map shows what is considered campus property. 

We encourage all students and employees who smoke or use such products that will be prohibited to make a transition plan so that they are prepared by June 1, 2025. 

The move to prohibit smoking/vaping and tobacco supports individual and community health and wellness, and brings the College into line with current practices of many higher education institutions. Nearly 2600 campuses across the US are smoke-free and Knox is joining this growing group. To support this effort, the College is happy to assist students, faculty and staff to stop smoking. All campus community members have access to smoking cessation support as the College strives to promote healthful lifelong habits for all.

All students, employees and campus visitors are required to follow the new policy starting June 1, 2025. We encourage those who use substances prohibited by the policy to plan now for this transition.

Offices that host events on campus for individuals who are not Knox College community members students are asked to make guests aware of the policy.

The policy prohibits smoking and use of the above-mentioned substances/products in the following areas: campus buildings, including but not limited to residence halls; academic, administrative and auxiliary buildings; athletics complexes and facilities; campus grounds, including but not limited to sidewalks, green spaces, parking lots and roadways; and inside all College-owned vehicles. Exceptions to the policy include the interiors of personally owned vehicles.

Which types of products are prohibited?

Prohibited products include but are not limited to:

• Cigarettes
• Cigars
• Pipes
• Hookahs
• E-cigarettes
• Vape pens and electronic hookahs
• Non-combustible tobacco leaf products (e.g. dip, snuff and chewing tobacco)
• All nicotine products that are not approved by the USFDA as cessation products for treating nicotine or tobacco dependence, (e.g. Zyn pouches) 

Exceptions will be made in situations where smoking or tobacco use is:

• Part of a research project related to tobacco products upon approval of the chair of the department responsible for the academic program
• Inside privately owned vehicles

Policy Enforcement

Like all campus policies, we trust our community members will follow and respect this policy. We trust community members will recognize the value of a smoke, tobacco, and vape-free campus, and hope that they will encourage their colleagues and peers to adhere to the policy as well. If you see an employee, student or visitor who is smoking or using tobacco or other prohibited products on campus property, you may wish to remind them of the new policy. You have the option to report persistent refusal to stop smoking or using other prohibited substances to Human Resources or the Dean of Students. Student violations will be handled as a violation of the student code of conduct and employee violations will be handled by the direct supervisor and/or Human Resources.