Smoke-Free Conversation Tool Kit

We collectively share the responsibility of enforcing the policy by respectfully letting other know about our Smoke-Free Campus (as of January 1, 2015). If you see someone smoking, please politely and respectfully let him/her know Harper is smoke-free. The resources below are intended to help you have a positive, productive conversation with a friend, student, colleague or visitor.

General Tips

Come from a place of care and support.
Presume the best. The person may not know about the policy.
Be calm and friendly.
If facing hostility, don’t escalate the situation. Simply walk away.
Don’t confront someone in an accusatory way (yelling, blaming, etc.).

Conversation Starters

“Hi. I’m Joe, and I am a student/work here at Harper. I noticed you are smoking. Did you know we are a smoke-free campus? We offer resources to make a smoke-free work or school day easier. You can find those on our website.”

What if you have a conversation and the person does not comply?

If you tried having a positive conversation and someone does not comply, you have a few options:

If you know the person: Please refer to the "What should I do if I see someone smoking on campus?" FAQ answer.
If you don’t know the person: If this is a pattern or routine (you see the same person smoking in the same area at roughly the same time), you can report the information to Harper Police (847.925.6330) so they can monitor the area.

Conversation Cards

These cards can help you have a conversation with a smoker on campus. They help educate our community about the policy and provide individuals with information on craving management and cessation. The cards are available in division offices, Health Services and by request through the Student Conduct Officer.

Faculty/Staff

For resources to guide conversations with your employees, please email Human Resources.

Having Difficult Conversations

You can find more tips on having difficult conversations on our website.

Remember, the more we can educate our campus community about the policy, the fewer confrontations will occur. While there is a team committed to managing the transition, everyone can contribute to the educational efforts.