Smoking ban at Loyalist College moved up because of cannabis legalization

By Lori-Anne Little

BELLEVILLE – A smoking ban at Loyalist College‘s campuses has been moved up to Jan. 1 as a result of the legalization of marijuana.

The ban was originally to come into effect in May, but the college announced Monday that it would come four months earlier.

The change is the college’s response to the legalization of marijuana.

While pot will be legal as of Wednesday, recreational cannabis will continue to be strictly prohibited on college property, as it is now, the college said.

And as of Jan. 1, smoking or vaping tobacco or marijuana will be prohibited in all indoor and outdoor areas of the college, as well as in vehicles that are parked on school grounds.

The ban affects Loyalist’s main campus in Belleville as well as its Bancroft campus and a satellite operation in Port Hope.

In the press release, the college said it is introducing two policies, called Fit to Learn and Fit to Work, that are aimed at having students avoid legal or illegal substances that will negatively affect their schoolwork.

“We are educating the college community on the health risks associated with cannabis use, as well as smoking and second-hand smoke,” the press release quoted Ann Marie Vaughan, Loyalist’s president and chief executive officer. “Students and employees who wish to stop smoking can access cessation resources and support through Loyalist.”