What does smoke-free educational grounds mean?

Smoke-free educational grounds are completely smoke-free for all pupils, students, staff, parents, visitors and suppliers, without exception. The educational institution is required to establish, indicate and enforce a smoking ban. This concerns the grounds adjacent to, or in the immediate vicinity of, a building used for education or providing facilities that enable education. The smoking ban always applies (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
The smoking ban also applies to the use of e-cigarettes.
The smoking ban on the grounds must be enforced during the building’s hours of use. This also applies if, for example, the building is being used by others in the evening. The explanatory memorandum with more information can be found here.

Due to COVID-19, it was decided that enforcement would not start until 1 January 2021. Read here the letter sent to all educational institutions about this.

Why smoke-free grounds?

By making the grounds smoke-free, you:

  • set a good example and establish a healthy social norm;
  • protect others from unwanted exposure to second-hand smoke;
  • help young people resist the temptation to smoke;
  • help smokers become more aware of their smoking behaviour or even quit smoking altogether;
  • provide cleaner grounds with less litter and lower cleaning costs;　
  • have a starting point for obtaining the Smoking, Alcohol and Drug Prevention theme certificate of the Healthy School quality mark;
  • comply with the legal obligation that has applied since 1 August 2020;
  • contribute to a healthy and clean learning environment.

Fact sheet

The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS), the NVWA and the Trimbos Institute have prepared a fact sheet about smoke-free educational grounds. The fact sheet answers the following questions:

  • Why has a smoking ban applied to the grounds of educational institutions since 1 August 2020?
  • What is expected of the educational institution?
  • Which educational institutions are subject to the smoking ban?
  • Which grounds of educational institutions are subject to the smoking ban?
  • Who must establish the smoking ban?

Smoke-Free Web Talk Show

On 20 April, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) held the Smoke-Free web talk show. On behalf of RIVM, Marcel Brosens interviewed five guests about their experiences working towards smoke-free school grounds and a smoke-free generation:

  • Angela Ouwehand, deputy head of Sint-Bernardusschool, Haarlem (primary education)
  • Johan Veenstra, currently acting head of Groen van Prinsterer (primary education), formerly Comenius College, Hilversum (secondary education)
  • Joke Hengefeld, principal of Koningin Wilhelmina College, Culemborg (secondary education)
  • Kees van Veldhuizen, policy adviser, Municipality of Rotterdam
  • Lida Samson, public health adviser, GGD Kennemerland

About 90 professionals working for municipalities, municipal health services and in education followed the online Q&A session and had their questions answered. Did you miss it? Watch the webinar again here.

For more information about smoke-free school grounds, click here.