No smoking shelters on campus by December under Massey’s latest smoke-free procedure

Massey University has put a date of 1 December, 2021, for the conversion of all smoking shelters on campus to vaping only. 

Both temporary smoking and vaping locations will still be located on the Manawatū and Albany campuses until 30 November this year. 

This comes from the latest revisal of Massey’s smoke-free procedure document, which is under review this month. 

The document says, “From the 1st of December 2021, all temporary smoking and vaping shelters will become vaping shelters only, and smoking will not be permitted on campus unless otherwise permitted under this procedure.” 

One vaper told Massive, “I didn’t even know there were temporary smoking and vaping shelters, I just hoon in the bathroom after class lol. Try to stop me, Massey.”   

Student and staff vapers will feel the impact of the new procedure too, as this is the first step in a process to make Massey campuses completely smoke-free and vape-free by December 2022. 

“Vaping shelters will be removed from all campuses by the 1st of December 2022 and campuses will be fully smoke-free and vape-free, unless otherwise permitted under this procedure,” the document says. 

Another student says the policy “isn’t surprising, but still a bit of a kick in the teeth. Like I get it, but maybe Massey could provide more support options for quitting. Put out nicotine patches in the free food bins, ya know.”  

The only exemptions provided for under this procedure are construction workers on site at a Massey campus. The project manager and Massey’s Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing can grant approval for temporary smoking or vaping shelters for the workers granted they are on-site only and are also a certain distance from other buildings. 

Those in residential halls who may be smokers are recognized in the document and it is possible for temporary vaping shelters to be provided at safe and accessible locations near residential halls to “support cessation efforts” and allow a move to a “less harmful” alternative to smoking in the meantime. 

Currently, any person who is found to be smoking or vaping on campus outside of the temporary shelters will be reminded by Massey of the support to quit, including any transitional arrangements which may be available according to the document.