UC System Bans Smoking, Chewing Of Tobacco

The University of California is banning smoking and the chewing of tobacco on all of its 10 campuses.

UC President Mark Yudof announced the ban to campus chancellors this week. It will go into effect in 2014.

The San Jose Mercury News reported that about 8 percent of UC students and 10 percent of employees smoke.

Those numbers are well below national averages.

It’s not clear yet whether smokers who violate the ban will be fined or face some other sort of sanction.

The ban will also prohibit tobacco sales and advertising in all buildings owned or rented by the university.