Chabot College is preparing to join the growing list of California campuses that are transitioning to smoke-free, banning all forms of smoking, including vaping. This ban encompasses all parts of the campus, including parking lots and even your own car. Although the timeline is unclear as of now, the policy is planned to be enforced sometime between the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters. Other colleges across the state have been moving toward all-encompassing smoking bans for years.
The University of California system went smoke and tobacco-free in 2014, with a ban covering cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookah, chew, and all tobacco products. Their policy also applies to every part of campus, including parking lots and private vehicles. The UC Office of the President said the decision was based on health and environmental responsibility, citing research from the U.S. Surgeon General indicating that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. They also cited studies from the California Department of Public Health that found outdoor smoke can still affect people nearby, especially in crowded or semi‑enclosed areas. Enforcement was described as safety-related, but citations were still possible under California Government Code 7597.1, which allows fines for smoking in prohibited state‑owned areas.
Chabot student Cole Wagner supports the ban to an extent, saying, ”I’ve had to walk by people chain-smoking in the parking lot, and that wasn’t pleasant, but I think less intrusive methods like vaping are OK.”
More than two thousand colleges nationwide have adopted similar smoke-free or tobacco-free policies, according to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation. The California Community College Board of Governors even encouraged all community colleges to move toward 100 percent smoke-free campuses back in 2018, so Chabot is not doing anything groundbreaking, but following a statewide trend.
However, this decision doesn’t come with unanimous approval. People deal with stress and anxiety in different ways, and for some students, smoking or vaping is how they choose to de-stress or help focus before or after class. As Chabot student Alonso Almaraz put it, “I do feel like it’s a little bit intrusive to prohibit students from smoking or vaping in their own vehicles.”
It’s not uncommon to see people stand in the parking lots or sit in their cars for a few minutes, smoke, relax, get their thoughts together, and make sure they do not smell like smoke before heading to class. Alonso added, “If it’s something as light as smoking, it’s more like a little hobby for themselves, and it’s not really affecting whatever’s happening inside campus.”
Chabot College could be pushing this ban as a way to prevent smoking-related fire alarms (that can cost over $500 for each emergency response dispatch), allowing the school to fine any offenders by having a comprehensive zero-tolerance policy. Whatever the case may be, it’s also a big safety measure. The efficacy of the ban really depends on communication and enforcement. Time will tell whether this college constructs a balance between protecting the community’s health and respecting student autonomy.
