The University of Washington maintains a no smoking or vaping policy to provide a safe and healthy environment for faculty, staff, students, and visitors at all three UW campuses.
Smoke and vape in designated areas only
The Bothell, Seattle, and Tacoma campuses are smoke- and vape-free, with the exception of designated smoking areas. Signage clearly identifies designated smoking areas, and urns are available at most sites for disposal of cigarette butts. EH&S determines where designated areas are located on UW campuses.
Click on a link below to view a map of the designated smoking areas:
Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for yourself
Although smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death, there are still some 37.8 million adults who continue to smoke in the United States. Secondhand smoke exposure contributes to 41,000 deaths among non-smoking adults each year.
Although evidence related to the harm of e-cigarette use is inconclusive, users may be exposed to cancer-causing toxins and chemicals. Research shows that nicotine, an ingredient in both e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes, harms brain development in young adults.
Resources to quit smoking
The best way to reduce your risk of developing smoking-related illnesses is to quit. Getting support to help you quit is the best way to be successful. Even with support, you may make a number of attempts before you quit for good.
Here are some resources to help you quit smoking:
- Contact your health insurance company to learn about their covered smoking cessation programs.
- Kaiser Permanente Quit for Life
- Uniform Medical Plan/American Cancer Society Quit for Life
- Other Kaiser Permanente resources
- Quitlines & quit smoking apps
- American Lung Association’s Freedom from Smoking program
Feedback
EH&S receives complaints related to smoking and vaping outside of designated areas. Due to the population density of UW campuses, any smoking outside of designated smoking areas increases the risk of secondhand smoke exposure.
If you have questions or feedback, please contact the EH&S Environmental Public Health Program at (206) 616-1623 or phdept@uw.edu.
Report fires
Notify Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) immediately (after first aid/medical care/emergency services) if a fire occurs at a UW location.
- During EH&S business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday) call (206) 543-7262.
- Outside of EH&S business hours, call the UW Police Department at (206) 685-8973 to reach EH&S on-call staff.
Visit the Incident Reporting page for more information.