Hot Policy Topic: Tobacco-Free Schools

In January 2019, the WASB Delegate Assembly adopted an updated resolution addressing tobacco-free schools. The resolution was updated to reflect the emergence of E-cigarettes and other vaping products and devices as replacements for traditional tobacco cigarettes and other tobacco products as nicotine delivery mechanisms. According to the newly adopted resolution (Resolution 6.02): “The WASB supports school learning environments free of tobacco, nicotine and vaping products and devices.”

The following are a few of the resources available to help school districts develop and implement tobacco-free schools’ policies:

• Governor Tony Evers “Letter to District Administrators on the Use of E-Cigarettes by Youth” (11/4/19)

 • WASB Resources

• October 2018 issue of Policy Perspectives entitled “Districts Revise Tobacco Use Policies to Address the Growing Use of E-Cigarettes”

• Sample policies and Background Information addressing tobacco-free school environments are available to subscribers of WASB’s Policy Resource Guide via the online PRG (See topics 831, 522.2 and 443.3)

•  Sample tobacco-free schools’ policies from other Wisconsin school districts are available upon request from WASB’s Policy Services Assistant (tkimball@wasb.org)

• Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Wisconsin Resource: “Model Comprehensive Tobacco-Free Schools Policy”
• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction School Tobacco Prevention Resources
• Wisconsin Safe and Healthy Schools Center Tobacco Update Resources
• Cooperative Educational Service Agency 10 (CESA #10) Resource: “Toolbox Talk: Vaping in Wisconsin Schools“
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) Resource: Vaporizers, E-Cigarettes and Other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)