smokefree
smokefree

Smokers: Please stand clear of the doors.

Follow the 9 metre rule – because health matters

Trent University recognizes that second-hand smoke is a serious health hazard and acknowledges that every member of the Trent community has a right to work, study and play in a smoke-free environment.

As part of Trent University’s comprehensive approach to campus health, we value:

  • Healthy employees, students and visitors
  • Healthy environments
  • Policies and procedures that support healthy behaviours and minimize  risks to employees, students and visitors, and
  • An organizational culture that values health, safety and wellness.

Smoking restrictions at Trent are intended to:

  • Encourage better health
  • Comply with current legislation
  • Protect employees, students and visitors.

Because second-hand smoke can enter through doorways, windows and air intakes, smoking is not permitted in any Trent building, within 9 metres (30 feet) of any Trent building, or on the podium, also known as the university court.   Nine metres (30 feet) is about the length of two parking spaces.

Footnote: This policy does not apply to tobacco used for traditional Aboriginal cultural or spiritual purposes. It does not apply to tobacco used for scientific research or testing, or to products intended for use in nicotine replacement therapy.

By-law enforcement officers may issue fines to smokers who contravene this policy.

Did you know?

Second-hand smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, including:

  • 50 chemicals that are known to cause cancer
  • carbon monoxide, the deadly gas that comes out of
    the tail pipe of your car
  • formaldehyde, a chemical used to preserve dead
    animals
  • arsenic, a chemical used to kill bugs and weeds
  • cyanide, a gas used in warfare.

People exposed to second-hand smoke can experience headaches, worsened asthma and allergies, eye, nose and throat irritations, and increased instances of cancer and heart disease.

What can I do to help clear the air in the Trent Community?

You can:

  • Support friends and colleagues who want to cut down or quit smoking.
  • Share your concerns about clean air with your student association or union representative, supervisor or Campus Security.
  • Email Bill Gibson, bgibson@trentu.ca Environmental Health and Safety Officer, to help shape the University’s Smoke-Free policy.

Leaving the pack behind

As a smoker, only you can decide when it’s time to quit. Support in quitting smoking varies from informal self-help materials to intensive counseling and cessation medications. When you are ready to leave the pack behind, reach out to any of the organizations below for the support you need.

  • Smokers' Helpline: 1.877.513.5333 or visit www.smokershelpline.ca for free, personalized, non-judgmental support, advice and information.
  • Peterborough County-City Health Unit: 705.743.1000 or click here. The PCCHU offers Quit Kits as well as free individual and group counselling.
  • The Heart and Stroke Association’s http://www.iwillsucceed.ca/ website is a one-stop shop for resources and social media tools.
  • Leavethepackbehind: www.leavethepackbehind.org/trent, a campus program about tobacco and smoking.
  • The Stop Study: www.stopstudy.ca occasionally offers free stop smoking medications to eligible candidates.
  • Your health care practitioner.

The benefits of quitting

The sooner a person quits smoking the better – but it’s never too late to improve your health. Some improvements happen almost at once:

  • Carbon monoxide is gone within the first 24 hours.
  • One year after quitting, the risk of a heart attack is cut in half.
  • Ten years after quitting, the risk of lung cancer is cut in half.
  • After 15 years, the risk of a heart attack drops to that of someone who has never smoked.

Further resources

For more information, see:

For more information about smoking at Trent, please contact the Environmental Health and Safety Officer, Bill Gibson bgibson@trentu.ca at 705-748-1011 x7373.