Students, staff and visitors at Vanier College will no longer be able to light up on school grounds.
The English CEGEP has banned all forms of smoking on campus, including e-cigarettes, vaping, pipes and any other substance.
If people want to smoke, they have to take it outside of campus grounds and onto public property, where there are newly installed ashtrays.
Until now, Vanier allowed smoking, but it was prohibited within a nine-metre distance from the main door, in compliance with Quebec’s Tobacco Control Act.
“If people are free to smoke on the grounds, that means you are free to smoke anything, including marijuana. Coming out here to do it shouldn’t be a bad idea,” said student Shakiru Adeshina.
Smoke-free campuses are a growing movement in Quebec after the province mandated in 2016 all colleges and universities to draft a policy to encourage a non-smoking environment on school grounds.
Champlain College implemented its policy in July 2017. In January, Dawson College also became a smoke-free campus.
John Abbot College only allows smoking in designated areas but will be transition to becoming a completely smoke-free campus in 2021.
At Vanier College, those who are caught smoking on campus — even inside their cars — can face penalties of up to $25 as well as disciplinary measures.
Becker says although they are enforcing this policy, they will also provide assistance to those who wish to quit smoking.
Vanier College says they are also launching an annual anti-smoking campaign in collaboration with the student’s association.
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