University Tobacco and Cannabis Smoking and Use Policy

As an institution of higher education that researches and treats the effects of smoking and tobacco use and cares deeply about the health of its students, faculty, staff, and visitors, Yale embarked on a journey to create a tobacco-free campus. Smoking and the use of all tobacco products are detrimental to health, not only for those who use these products but also for those exposed to secondhand effects. Yale recognizes that quitting smoking is complex and difficult and founded this initiative on education and outreach rather than implementing a punitive policy.

As we continue to work towards the ultimate goal of becoming a smoke and tobacco-free campus, as outlined in our Towards a Tobacco Free Yale Policy, smoking and the use of tobacco-derived or containing products is prohibited in all University indoor and outdoor spaces, and any property owned or leased by the University. University property includes, but is not limited to, parking lots, paths, fields, sports/recreational areas, theaters, museums, stadiums, facilities, buildings, and University vehicles, regardless of location.

Smoking is defined as inhaling or burning any lighted or heated tobacco or other substance, whether natural or synthetic, in any manner or form.

Prohibited substances are defined as any tobacco-derived or containing products and vaped substances, including but not limited to:

• Cigarettes (e.g., clove, bidis, kreteks)

• Electronic cigarettes and vaping substances and devices in all their forms, including but not limited to cigalikes, aerosol, or vapor delivery devices, commonly known as ENDS-Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems
• Cigars and cigarillos
• Hookah-smoked products, including but not limited to pipes, water pipes, and other devices using smoke and/or vapor
• Oral or nasal tobacco, including but not limited to spit and spitless, smokeless, chew, snuff
• The sale or advertising of tobacco and other inhaled or burned substances is prohibited in University-owned or occupied buildings. Federal and State law prohibits tobacco use where hazardous materials are present, which includes loading docks and driveway areas. Yale Housing is a dedicated smoke-free housing. There are no exceptions for smoking within the dormitory buildings or the apartments.

As of July 1, 2021, Connecticut’s Responsible and Equitable Regulation of Adult-Use Cannabis Act or RERACA permits the possession and use of cannabis for adults 21 or over, allowing an individual to possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis or the equivalent amount of cannabis products or concentrates on their person or 5 ounces in their homes or locked in their car trunk or glove box. Please note that Connecticut law and University policy prohibit the smoking of cannabis or cannabis-derived substances in the same locations at the University described within the Tobacco section of this Policy.