Texas Tobacco Laws – for
Schools
AISD Policy and Student
Code of Conduct
Compliance, Education & Enforcement
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Tobacco
• Tobacco use is the single largest
preventable cause of disease and
premature death in the United States
• Everyday, 1,200 people die from tobacco
use (That’s one person every 72
seconds…)
Tobacco and Young Adults
• 3,000 people under the age of 18 become
regular smokers everyday
• 1,000 of them will eventually die
of a tobacco related illness
• Today, there are approximately 450,000
young people addicted to tobacco who will
eventually die of a tobacco related illness
Benefits of Quitting
The American Cancer Society lists some of the
immediate and long-term health benefits of
quitting smoking:
• After 20 minutes, blood pressure drops to
normal.
• After 8 hours, the carbon monoxide level in
the blood drops to normal.
• After 48 hours, nerve endings start regrowing
and the senses of smell and taste are
enhanced.
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Benefits of Quitting
• In one to nine months, coughing, sinus
congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath
decrease and cilia (tiny, hair like cells that move
continually to clean air that is breathed in) regrow in the lungs.
• After five years, the chance of dying from lung
cancer decreases by almost half.
• After 15 years, the risk of heart disease is equal
to that of a nonsmoker, and the risk of dying
from lung cancer is only slightly higher than that
of a non smoker.
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Second-Hand Smoke
• There are over 4,000 chemicals in secondhand smoke
• 43 of these chemicals are known to cause
cancer
• 15% of cigarette smoke is
inhaled by the smoker
• 85% of the smoke is inhaled by others
around the smoker
Quit Facts
• 83% of current adult smokers wish they
had never started smoking
• 93% of smokers who try to
quit resume regular smoking
within one year
• On average, it takes 5-7 quit
attempts to succeed
Tobacco-Free School
Environment:
• Tobacco use is prohibited by any person on District
premises, at school or school-related activities
• Tobacco use is prohibited by AISD employees in
District vehicles
• It is illegal for students to possess tobacco products
on District premises, at school or school-related
activities
• School personnel shall enforce these policies on
school property
Senate Bill 1, Texas Education Code, Section 38.006 and AISD Student Code of Conduct
M.I.P – Tobacco Law
Minor in Possession of
Tobacco:
• It is illegal for a person under 18 years of age to
possess, purchase, consume or accept a cigarette or
tobacco product
Health & Safety Code 161.252
Provisions of the Law:
• A person under 18 years of age who
possesses, purchases, consumes or
accepts a cigarette or tobacco product will
be cited for Minor In Possession of
Tobacco (M.I.P.)
Penalties for M.I.P. –
Tobacco:
• Class C Misdemeanor
• Attend an eight hour Tobacco Awareness
Class
• Complete eight to 12 hours of community
service
• Six month loss or delay of your
driver’s license
• $250 fine