Tobacco-Free K-12 Schools

The Oregon Public Health Division, local TPEP programs, the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA), and the American Lung Association in Oregon have worked with Oregon school districts to adopt and implement tobacco-free policies that exceed the minimum state requirements set by the Oregon State Board of Education. A comprehensive tobacco-free school policy deters tobacco use and benefits the entire school community by:

• creating a healthier environment, reinforcing tobacco-free norms and attitudes so that students choose not to start using tobacco;
• reducing exposure to secondhand smoke;
• decreasing current consumption of tobacco and helping people quit; and
• protecting students from tobacco industry influences.

Status of Oregon School Districts’ Policies

As of January 2010, all the school districts in 26 of 36 Oregon counties had adopted tobacco-free policies meeting the minimum required standards. Policies vary from basic to comprehensive in terms of how many optional policy elements are included in the policy. As of January 2010, 22 of 197 school districts in Oregon had an “incomplete” tobacco-free policy.

This information was compiled by the American Lung Association in Oregon, TPEP’s tobacco-free school policy contractor through July 2010. Please note: This does not reflect the current versions of policies adopted or revised after July 2010.

• Status and grade for each Oregon school district policy(last updated June 30, 2010)

Statewide Policy - Oregon Administrative Rules

• OAR 581-021-0110 – Tobacco Free Schools

Oregon School Board Association (OSBA) Sample Policies and Tools

Since 2006, tobacco use has been prohibited on the grounds of all K-12 schools (OAR 581-021-0110 Tobacco Free Schools). To help schools come into compliance with HB2546 (2015), the Oregon School Board Association (OSBA) provided sample policies to school districts incorporating inhalant delivery systems( e.g. electronic cigarettes) into the tobacco free schools policy (version 1 and version2). These policies (formerly titled “Tobacco Free Environment”) have been renamed, “Prohibited Use of Tobacco products or Inhalant Delivery Systems.”

Version 1 is a basic policy that meets the requirements of the law. Version 2 is the gold standard, going beyond the requirements of the law, and similar to what many of you worked with districts to adopt previously.

• OSBA Sample Gold Standard Policy (Version 2) 
• OSBA Sample Basic Policy (Version 1)
• Policy Checklist and Grading Criteria – Developed by the American Lung Association in Oregon, this tool can be used by TPEP grantees and school districts to assess current policies and proposed revisions. (Note: This policy checklist and grading criteria aligns with the original OSBA sample policy from 2009; it does not reflect updates to the sample policy in 2015 with the addition of inhalant delivery systems.)
• Tobacco-free School Signs – Please contact your liaison  to request school signs.

Related Resources and Technical Assistance