Statement of no smoking policy (including vaping)

In the light of findings which clearly signal the long-term damage to health to which smokers expose themselves and others, Council has concluded that the University would be failing in its duty to promote the health, safety, and welfare of those on its premises - staff, students, and visitors alike - if it did not seek to minimise the exposure of both smokers and non-smokers to all forms of smoking, by prohibiting smoking in all University buildings and University-owned shared vehicles.

This policy prohibits smoking in all University buildings (including all enclosed and semi-enclosed workplaces, but with the exceptions listed below) and in all University-owned shared vehicles. The prohibition excludes some long-let residential accommodation, which is subject to separate arrangements (for example: (1) farmhouses and cottages on rural investment estates; and (2) unfurnished accommodation let on long-term arrangements).

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Current evidence suggests that the health risk effects of electronic cigarettes both to users and from secondary exposure is much lower than the risks from tobacco smoke.  It is also recognised that using electronic cigarettes can contribute to smoking cessation and have positive effect on smoker health.  However, electronic cigarette use can produce aerosols and nuisance odours in enclosed workplaces: in particular people with asthma and other respiratory conditions may be sensitive to ‘environmental irritants’ such as electronic cigarette vapour. Studies suggest that electronic cigarette use is not without any risk of harm to health: allowing the use of electronic cigarettes inside University buildings and vehicles would therefore be introducing a potential risk to bystanders from secondary exposure to electronic cigarette use. The University therefore prohibits the use of electronic cigarettes, or similar devices, in all the same locations and areas as are covered by the no-smoking rules.

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