1. SMOKING AND THE
USE OF TOBACCO
Walton County Public Schools
2012/2013

2. Did You Know
• Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of
premature death in the state of Georgia, and number
three in the Nation.

3. Statistics
• Currently, 23% of adult Georgians smoke.
• 9% of middle school students and 19% of high school
students smoke cigarettes.
• In addition 5% of middle school and 7% of high school
students use smokeless tobacco.

4. Beware
• Smokeless tobacco is a significant health risk and is not a
safe substitute for smoking cigarettes. Smokeless tobacco
itself contains 28 cancer causing agents and teens who
use it are more likely to become cigarette smokers.

5. Our Policy
• Smoking and the use of tobacco products shall
be prohibited at any time in any school or building
or property owned or leased by the school district,
excluding designated areas at organized school
activities, or at any time in any school owned
vehicle, including school buses.
• Practice Fields are school property.
• Supervisors who look the other way while
employees violate this rule will be held as
accountable as that person who is breaking the
rule.

6. Our Policy
• In addition, smoking or the use of other tobacco
products by employees is prohibited at any time
such employees are directly instructing or
supervising students.
• This means field trips, overnight camps and
competitions.
• Direct supervision includes coaching, band,
directing, acting as a sponsor or advisor of a club
or similar school organization and other
instructional roles.

7. Our Policy
• Employees shall not store or possess tobacco or tobacco
related products on their person or in their belongings in
such a manner that such products are visible to students.
• Be Responsible.

8. Our Policy
Consequences
• School district employees who violate this policy may be
subject to appropriate disciplinary action, including
reprimand, suspension with or without pay, or termination.
• Students who violate this policy may be subject to
disciplinary action in accordance with the student conduct
code and the student/parent handbook.