All ³Ô¹ÏÍø Campuses and properties are smoke-free. This means that smoking and vaping by staff, students and visitors is not permitted on ³Ô¹ÏÍø land or on pavements next to the doors, windows and air vents of ³Ô¹ÏÍø buildings.
Campuses and properties include:
- South Kensington
- Medical Campuses, Charing Cross, Hammersmith, St Mary’s, Chelsea & Westminster, Royal Brompton
- Silwood Park
- White City Campus
- Grapht Works
- Halls of Residences
- Harlington and other sports facilities
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- How has this change come about?
- How is the policy enforced?
- What about vapes and e-cigarettes?
- What about student events at Beit Quad?
- Where can people smoke?
A working group was convened in January 2016 to consider the ³Ô¹ÏÍø's smoking policy. The working group included representatives from each of the faculties and from ³Ô¹ÏÍø College Union (ICU). An MSc student was commissioned to carry out a survey on smoking amongst ³Ô¹ÏÍø staff and students. In addition, ICU conducted its own survey of students.
The Provost’s Board took these survey results into account in making its decision, as well as considering smoking policies at other organisations, including the NHS.
This change has brought all of our campuses in line with NHS policy, which also requires all our hospital campuses to be smoke-free. Sale of tobacco products on campus ceased in 2016.
As we ask all staff and students for their help in implementing the policy, we do also want to hear about any practical issues or concerns. You can get in touch with these or any other questions not covered here via smoke.free@imperial.ac.uk.
All staff and student members of the ³Ô¹ÏÍø community have the right to ask others to comply with this policy and to refrain from smoking or vaping.
All members of ³Ô¹ÏÍø are asked, particularly those in management positions, to help enforce this policy by politely asking anyone they see breaching it to desist.
If you approach someone who is smoking or vaping on campus and they refuse to desist, please email smoke.free@imperial.ac.uk.
Security Officers will perform routine patrols and respond to reports
The use of vapes and e-cigarettes is not permitted in any ³Ô¹ÏÍø buildings or anywhere near entrances or air ducts where their emissions could enter buildings.
For reasons of practicality, smoking is permitted in Beit Quad, at least 5 metres away from the south wing, on Wednesday and Friday evenings during term-time when major ticketed events are being held.
We would encourage all smokers to consider accessing support to quit smoking. But for those students and staff who choose to smoke, the policy requires that they smoke off-campus and away from our buildings.
As our campuses are near residential homes, businesses and schools, we ask staff and students to be mindful of the health and well-being of our neighbours.