Tobacco-Free Workplace

Maintain a comprehensive tobacco-free workplace policy

The tobacco-free policy must apply to the entire workplace – both indoors and outdoors and must apply to all US-based employees, temporary workers, contractors and visitors. Gold Standard employers may not have any designated areas for the use of any form of tobacco.

Sample tobacco-free workplace policy

Sample tobacco-free enforcement language

Forms of tobacco and smokeless tobacco

Cigarettes, Cigars, Pipes
Smokeless tobacco, also called chewing tobacco, oral tobacco, spit or spitting tobacco, dip, chew, snuff, snus, twist, plug, and dissolvable tobacco products
Electronic cigarettes, also called “e-cigarettes,” or “Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems” (ENDS)

Best Practices

Tobacco Free Business Card

Tobacco Free Business Card

A very simple, but very effective, practice has been instituted at Celgene to dissuade employees from tobacco use as well as give them resources to find cessation programs. The Corporate Affairs team, alongside of our Corporate Services colleagues, have developed a business card that can be provided to tobacco users who are violating the Global Corporate Policy. Rather than confronting the employee or contractor with language about Corporate Policies, these cards can be provided as a reminder of the “tobacco free” status of our...

Articles of Interest

Tobacco Free Company a Big Hit

Min, Shirley

WNCN-TV

Anti-smoking plan may kill cigarettes — and save Big Tobacco

Associated Press

STAT

Research & Evidence

Don’t Forget Tobacco

Steven A. Schroeder, M.D. and Kenneth E. Warder, PhD

New England Journal of Medicine

Tobacco Product Use Among Adults — United States, 2015

Elyse Phillips, MPH; Teresa W. Wang, PhD; Corinne G. Husten, MD; Catherine G. Corey, MSPH; Benjamin J. Apelberg, PhD; Ahmed Jamal, MBBS; David M. Homa, PhD; Brian A. King, PhD

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Frequently Asked Questions

Pillar 1: Tobacco-Free Workplace

Why do e-cigarettes have to be prohibited within a tobacco-free workplace policy?

We’ve taken a strong stance on e-cigarettes as part of our tobacco-free workplace requirements for Gold Standard employers. E-cigarettes are flavored vaporizing devices that provide nicotine dosing, which means they can lead to nicotine addiction. Despite the fact that they do not contain tobacco, and the adverse health effects of e-cigarettes are not yet proven (unlike the well-documented adverse health effects of tobacco products), they are explicitly not permitted at Gold Standard workplaces for a number of reasons:

Some people argue that e-cigarettes may be effective in helping people stop smoking tobacco products. However, they are not regulated by the FDA, are often produced outside the U.S., and they contain a range of additional substances that are being studied for toxicity for their users and for others nearby. Therefore, e-cigarettes are not proven to be safe as a tobacco-cessation aid.
E-cigarette manufacturers are aggressively marketing these products, and there is significant concern that e-cigarettes could make smoking overall more socially acceptable as well as serving as an introduction to smoking regular cigarettes.
Other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Devices (ENDs) are now entering the marketplace as well, and all of those devices are also prohibited at Gold Standard workplaces. Other ENDs may not look like electronic cigarettes, but they similarly deliver nicotine into the user.

Does the tobacco-free workplace policy have to apply to all buildings and grounds?

Yes, the policy must apply to the entire workplace – both indoors and outdoors. Providing designated areas for smoking or separately ventilated facilities does not meet the requirements of the CEO Cancer Gold Standard. A Gold Standard employer may not have any designated areas for the use of any form of tobacco.

What is “evidence-based” tobacco treatment?

Counseling and medications are considered to be evidence-based treatment for quitting the use of tobacco. Medications include both prescription (Rx) medicines that are FDA-approved for the treatment of tobacco cessation, and also non-prescription Over-the-Counter (OTC) products that have been approved by the FDA and are considered effective for discontinuing tobacco use.

Brochures/Reference

Tobacco-Free Campus Implementation Guide

Tobacco-Free Campus Policy Implementation Guide

A resource designed to help college students adopt and implement a 100% tobacco-free campus policy

State of Oklahoma Executive Order 2012-01

Executive Order prohibits the use of any tobacco product on any and all properties owned, leased or contracted for use by the State of Oklahoma, including but not limited to all buildings, land and vehicles owned, leased or contracted for use by agencies or instrumentalities of the State of Oklahoma. The goal of this Executive Order isto provide for a healthier work environment, encourage healthier lifestyle choices for state employees and protect visitors to state property.

Adopting Tobacco-free Policies on Campuses

This guide is designed to assist with the creation of effective and enforceable tobacco-free policies for higher-education institutions.

State of Oklahoma Executive Order 2013-43

Executive Order prohibiting the use of electronic cigarette or vaping device on any and all properties owned, leased or contracted for use by the State of Oklahoma, including but not limited to all buildings, land and vehicles owned, leased or contracted for use by agencies or instrumentalities of the State of Oklahoma.

State of Colorado Executive Order B 2018 011

Amending Executive Order D 0036 90 Regarding Smoking in State Buildings and Further Directing State Agencies to Take Action to Limit the Use of Tobacco Products, Vaping
Products, and E-Cigarettes by Youth

External Resources

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Creating a Smoke-free Workplace

American Cancer Society

A smoke-free workplace is good for everyone. Get tips for creating a healthier environment in your workplace.

Employers concerned about their employees may be able to improve their health and help them be more productive by creating tobacco-free workplaces. Many state and local governments now require workplaces to be smoke-free. Making your workplace completely tobacco-free can have an even greater impact. Both tobacco user and non-user employees may be helped by such policies.

Smokefree Policies Result in High Levels of Compliance

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Exposure to secondhand smoke from burning tobacco products causes disease and premature death among nonsmokers. There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke, and even brief exposure can cause immediate harm.1Establishing a 100% smokefree environment is the only effective way to fully protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke.

National and international studies have shown that comprehensive national, state, and local smokefree laws that prohibit smoking in all indoor areas of workplaces, restaurants, and bars typically result in high levels of compliance.1-6 Studies have found that comprehensive smokefree laws are easier to enforce and achieve higher levels of compliance than smoking restrictions that contain significant exemptions (e.g., exemptions for designated smoking areas or certain types of restaurants or bars).

Toolkits & Guides for Tobacco-Free College Campuses

Tobacco Free College Campus Initiative

The goal of this toolkit is to provide you with the resources and tools to help you institute a successful tobacco- or smoke-free campus policy; in other words, to make the changes you want to see on your campus.

Smoke-free & Tobacco-free Places

Public Health Law Center

This section explores policy options for employees to make their workplace smokefree and legal options for employees who remain exposed to secondhand smoke on the job.

Tobacco Free Colleges and Universities

American Lung Association

Tobacco-free policies are a growing trend on college campuses across the United States. Today there are approximately 477 colleges and universities that are 100% tobacco-free, and more join the list every year! This list originated with the American Lung Association in Oregon, and has now gone national.

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Tobacco-Free Workplace

Maintain a comprehensive tobacco-free workplace policy

Pillar 1: Tobacco-Free Workplace

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