Ball State University is committed to the health and wellness of its students, faculty, staff, and visitors. To support that pledge, Ball State became a tobacco-free campus on August 1, 2013.

The policy (PDF) restricts the use of tobacco products in all campus buildings and parking structures and on all campus grounds. Tobacco use is allowed only:

  • in personal vehicles with the windows rolled up
  • at designated tailgating areas during home football games

Tobacco-Free Policy

Anyone who fails to comply with the policy may be fined $100 per occurrence. 

If you use tobacco, we encourage you to explore the resources and benefits below in the resources tab that are available to help you quit. A tobacco-free campus is important for the health and vitality of the university community.

Research

Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States, where smoking is responsible for nearly one out of five (443,000) deaths each year--more deaths than AIDS, alcohol, illegal drugs, auto accidents, homicides, and suicides combined.

Ball State's Global Health Institute partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System to produce a report, The Burden of Adult Smoking in Indiana (PDF), which documents the prevalence of cigarette smoking in the state and the effects of the addiction.

Smokers are at increased risk for stroke, heart disease, and multiple cancers, as smoking harms nearly every organ of the body.

No form of tobacco is safe. Smokeless tobacco products also contain toxic and carcinogenic chemicals detrimental to health.

Tobacco can also harm nonsmokers; exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, or other illnesses.

Fortunately, many individuals want to quit and are capable of quitting. In 2012, more than 50 percent of the Hoosiers who smoke reported attempting to quit during the past 12 months. Counseling and medication can more than double the chance that a smoker who tries to quit will succeed.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Cancer Institute, and the American Lung Association

Want to quit? Ball State and national partners offer a range of services and incentives to help you live a tobacco-free life.

Resources and Incentives at Ball State

The Student Health Center offers students a range of counseling and prescription cessation medications that can help you fight cravings.

Working Well offers a variety of programs that help faculty and staff get and stay healthy—mentally, physically, and emotionally.

The Health Promotion and Advocacy office offers free smoking cessation classes for students.

Employees and retirees younger than 65 may receive a discount of $900 per year or $75 per month if they certify that they and any dependents enrolled in the university’s health plan are tobacco-free. If any of these people use tobacco, they may complete a university-approved tobacco cessation program to receive the premium discount.

Resources for Students and Employees

Quit Now Indiana

A free online tool can be completed in eight weeks or longer depending on your desire to quit. The program includes 12 chapters and approximately four quizzes to guide you through a comprehensive cessation program. This service is available 24 hours a day. Students and employees (and their family members) may register confidentially by email. You will receive instructions on how to get started.

Web Coach and Text2Quit

These user-friendly features are designed to give you the support needed throughout the quitting process. Web Coach and Text2Quit will empower you to take control of your tobacco addiction and successfully quit for life. Enroll online or call toll-free at 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669).

Resources for Employees

Services Quick Reference

Ball State’s Tobacco-Free Policy (PDF) restricts the use of tobacco products in all campus buildings and parking structures and on all campus grounds. Tobacco use is allowed in personal vehicles with windows rolled up and at designated tailgating areas during designated hours at home football games.
The university is committed to providing a healthy learning and working environment for the entire community, and the new policy is consistent with the university’s wellness initiatives and the tobacco-free health insurance premium discount. Ball State is now aligned with nearly 2,600 smoke-free and 2,100 tobacco-free campuses across the nation.
August 1, 2013. The Ball State University Board of Trustees voted to approve the measure during its July 2013 meeting.
All tobacco products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes (including vaping devices), smokeless tobacco, bidis, kreteks, cigars, snuff, snus, hookahs (water pipes), pipes, and chew.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the authority to regulate e-cigarettes as a tobacco product. FDA is concerned with the safety of e-cigarettes  and vaping devices and whether they may lead to use of tobacco products. Learn more about e-cigarettes, vapes and other electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products.
Anyone on campus grounds, including all students, employees, alumni, and visitors.
No. Ball State University is not asking anyone to quit. The policy simply means that no one can use tobacco products on university property and grounds.
Yes, you may use tobacco products within your vehicle, but the windows must be rolled up. You may not use tobacco products while sitting on a parked motorcycle, motorized scooter, or bike.
Students, visitors, alumni, and employees are permitted to use tobacco in designated football tailgating areas during designated hours at home games. Tobacco use during half times at all other sporting events or intermission at cultural/artistic performances is not permitted.
The Student Health Center, Health Promotion and Advocacy and Working Well all offer various health and education resources and services to help people quit. A range of state partners offer online, phone, and one-on-one quit resources and discounts.

We ask that all students, employees, and visitors adhere to this policy. We encourage members of the university community to respectfully inform others about the policy to ensure compliance.

Primary enforcement of this policy will be left with people who head individual units, departments, buildings, student housing units, those who supervise personnel, Public Safety personnel, and other designees.

Anyone who fails to comply with the policy may be fined $100 per occurrence. Employees may face disciplinary action.
You could say something along the lines of: "Are you aware that we do not allow the use of tobacco products of any kind on our campus? Out of respect for our policy, please put out your cigarette (or other tobacco product) and dispose of it in a trashcan.
To help manage your cravings for tobacco on campus, the university offers resources. Inform yourself about the impact of smoking and find ways to quit.

Contact Us

Thank you for adhering to our tobacco-free policy. To report a violation, please contact the Ball State University Police Department at 765-285-1832.

If you have additional questions or concerns, please call the Division of Student Affairs at 765-285-3734.