Memorial has launched a review of its Smoking Policy and is seeking feedback from the university community and external stakeholders on the effectiveness of the current policy.

The Office of the Chief Risk Officer will receive feedback until April 18 at 4 p.m. through an online survey. The information gathered through the survey will inform changes to the policy, which will be presented back to the community for comment later this year.

“Since the smoking policy was first implemented, cannabis was legalized and e-cigarettes have been added to the smoke-free environment act,” said Kris Parsons, chief risk officer at Memorial. “As well, the community has had an opportunity to observe the policy’s effectiveness, so the timing is right to ask for feedback.”

In 2013 Memorial University adopted a smoking policy to align with its commitment to provide a safe, smoke-free environment for its students, faculty and staff.

A smoke-free campus came after a phased-in approach to banning smoking on all Memorial properties. The policy also aligns with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Smoke-free Environment Act.

 The policy and related documents will be revised based on input received during the consultation. Final policy approval is anticipated before the end of 2019.