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)

Tobacco-Free Workplace Best Practices

Tobacco Free Business Card

Celgene

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

Yes, You Still Have Smokers in Your Workplace

Jacobs, Megan

The EX Program

We Have Not ‘Come a Long Way, Baby’: Dr. Alan Blum on Smoking Cessation and Prevention

Blum, Alan, MD

Cancer Network

Research & Evidence

Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults — United States, 2016

Ahmed Jamal, MBBS; Elyse Phillips, MPH; Andrea S. Gentzke, PhD; David M. Homa, PhD; Stephen D. Babb, MPH; Brian A. King, PhD; Linda J. Neff, PhD

CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

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

Brochures/Reference

Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs

Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States. Nearly one-half million Americans still die prematurely from tobacco use each year, and more than 16 million Americans suffer from a disease caused by smoking. Despite these risks, approximately 42.1 million U.S. adults currently smoke cigarettes. And the harmful effects of smoking do not end with the smoker. Secondhand smoke exposure causes serious disease and death, and even brief exposure can be harmful to health. Each year, primarily because of exposure to secondhand smoke, an estimated 7,330 nonsmoking Americans die of lung cancer and more than 33,900 die of heart disease. Coupled with this enormous health toll is the significant economic burden. Economic costs attributable to smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke now approach $300 billion annually.

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

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.

External Resources

Tobacco-Free Workplace

NCI Tobacco Policy Viewer

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Implementation of smoke-free policies can lower smoking rates and reduce exposure to second hand smoke. The NCI Tobacco Policy Viewer is an interactive web resource for mapping, query, and download of historical smoke-free policy data in the United States. The tool reveals variation across U.S. cities, counties and states in the types of indoor areas that are smoke-free, length of time since the smoke-free policy came into effect, and number of people who are protected by the smoke-free policy.

State of Tobacco Control 2019: Proven Policies to Prevent and Reduce Tobacco Use

American Lung Association

The 17th annual American Lung Association "State of Tobacco Control" report evaluates states and the federal government on the proven-effective tobacco control laws and policies necessary to save lives. The report serves as a blueprint for what state and federal leaders must do to eliminate the death and disease caused by tobacco use. This year's report focuses on the failure of states and the federal government to act to fight tobacco use, and the consequences of this, including an epidemic of youth e-cigarette use.

Did YOUR state make the grade?

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.

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).

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Tobacco-Free Workplace

Maintain a comprehensive tobacco-free workplace policy

Tobacco-Free Workplace