McGill continues to be committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors on the University’s downtown and Macdonald campuses.
- McGill Smoking Policy (restrictions in the policy also apply to e-cigarettes)
- McGill policy concerning cannabis: Section 6 of the Policy Concerning Alcohol, Cannabis and Other Drugs
- McGill Smoking Cessation Program
Why is the McLennan-Redpath Terrace smoke-free?
The terrace is for everyone to enjoy.
McGill’s downtown campus is being transformed into a greener space for students, staff and the Montreal community to enjoy year round. Used by thousands of people daily, the McLennan-Redpath Terrace is a meeting place and major pathway to the heart of campus. Everyone should be able to enjoy the extraordinary sights and sounds of campus life. That’s why as of Thursday, May 1, 2014, the McLennan-Redpath Terrace was designated a smoke-free environment in order to:
- Protect people from unwanted and involuntary exposure to tobacco and passive smoke.
- Create a cleaner living, learning and working environment and reduce toxic litter on campus.
- Create a supportive environment for those who are trying to quit tobacco.
Help keep this communal space accessible to all!
The success of this change depends upon the thoughtfulness, consideration, and cooperation of smokers and non-smokers alike. Signage is on site to help direct people to designated smoking and smoke-free areas. Help get the word out! Here’s how you can take an active role in informing people of the policy:
- Direct smokers to the nearest designated smoking area. Designated smoking areas (pink areas) around the non-smoking terrace area (blue area) have been created at the north end of the terrace near Morrice Hall and across from the Armstrong Building.
- Inform visitors that the Terrace is smoke-free and seek their cooperation. If you see someone smoking on the terrace, respectfully inform them that terrace is a smoke-free environment. Signage is on-site to help communicate the message.
What process was involved in making this decision?
Renovations to the McLennan-Redpath Terrace were conducted in three phases over the summers of 2011, 2012 and 2013, to minimize the disruption during the regular academic year. The outdoor terrace became fully accessible to pedestrian traffic in January 2014. After numerous complaints from library users, it became apparent very quickly that a solution should be found to address second hand smoke and the growing amount of tobacco-related litter strewn across the terrace. Over the winter months, discussions amongst campus stakeholders were held and the decision was made to designate the newly-renovated space as smoke-free. To date, the following campus stakeholders have endorsed the smoke-free McLennan-Redpath Terrace:
- McGill Health and Safety Committee
- McGill Gardens and Grounds, Senate Subcommittee
- McGill Libraries
- McGill Office of the Dean of Students
- McGill Office of Sustainability
- McGill Security Services
- McGill Senate Committee on Physical Development & Health
- Post-Graduate Students' Society of McGill University (PGSS)
- Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU)
Be informed!
Building awareness on health, environment and sustainability issues is very important as the campus and community adapts to the smoke-free terrace. Here is a list of some resources, as selected by McGill librarians.
Health & wellness (government websites)
- Health Canada. On the road to quitting. Guide to becoming a non-smoker for young adults.
- Quebec Council on Tobacco and Health, the Canadian Cancer Society, and Santé et Services Sociaux Québec). I quit now | J'arrête
- Statistics Canada. Smoking.
Environment & sustainability (articles)
- Novotny, T. E., Lum, K., Smith, E., Wang, V., & Barnes, R. (2009). Cigarettes butts and the case for an environmental policy on hazardous cigarette waste. International journal of environmental research and public health, 6(5), 1691-1705.
- Sawdey, M., Lindsay, R. P., & Novotny, T. E. (2011). Smoke-free college campuses: no ifs, ands or toxic butts. Tobacco Control, 20 (Suppl 1), i21-i24.
- Moerman, J. W., & Potts, G. E. (2011). Analysis of metals leached from smoked cigarette litter. Tobacco Control, 20 (Suppl 1), i30-i35.
Feedback! Questions? Please email: hssl.library [at] mcgill.ca
