MnSCU board urges further tobacco bans

Further smoking restrictions might be coming to many of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities’ 54 campus.

MnSCU’s Board of Trustees Wednesday passed a resolution encouraging each college and university to consult with its students, faculty and staff about further restricting tobacco.

“This is an important step,” Trustee Christine Rice said when presenting the resolution. “It sends a clear signal to our campuses that while we value these decisions being made at the local level, we also encourage them to help advance the health and safety of everyone on campus with this well-documented risk.”

Minnesota’s Clean Indoor Air Act prohibits smoking in public buildings, but some MnSCU campuses have placed additional restrictions on tobacco use. At least nine colleges and universities have adopted tobacco-free policies.

In Northeastern Minnesota, Lake Superior College bans all forms of tobacco use on campus.

Hibbing, Itasca and Rainy River community colleges, as well as Mesabi Range Community and Technical College, all ban tobacco use on college property and in college vehicles.

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College bans smoking inside all campus buildings and vehicles. At Vermilion Community College, smoking is prohibited in all buildings and is limited to three entrances to the campus and a few designated areas outside residence halls.

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