Understanding AB 795

Colleges and universities across the United States are taking steps to strengthen their tobacco use policies to protect students, employees, and visitors.

It’s not uncommon to visit a college campus and find many students smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products, even though the health risks associated with tobacco use are well known, as are the effects of secondhand smoke.

In California, public college and university campuses have the authority to prohibit smoking or tobacco use anywhere on their premises. In 2011, California passed AB 795, a law that allows public colleges and universities to enforce their smokefree/tobacco-free policies by using citations and fines.

Composed in partnership with the California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN), this fact sheet explains how California’s public colleges and universities can use AB 795 to use citations and fines as tools for enforcing smokefree/tobacco-free policies. Included is a detailed explanation of the law, as well as a guide for crafting a smokefree campus policy.