Pierce County Libraries smoke-free policy doesn't apply to Bonney Lake or Sumner

Pierce County Libraries smoke-free policy doesn’t apply to Bonney Lake or Sumner

In January, the library system's board of trustees adopted a Smoke and Tobacco Free Campus Policy. Under the policy, use of all tobacco products—smoked and smoke-free alike—and tobacco-less, smokeless electronic cigarettes is prohibited on library grounds and in library vehicles. Smoking in a private car at least 25 feet from a library entrance or air vent remains allowed.

Here’s something to make nonsmokers grumble and smokers rejoice: even as the Pierce County Library System went smoke-free on April 2, the Bonney Lake and Sumner libraries have not.

In January, the library system’s board of trustees adopted a Smoke and Tobacco Free Campus Policy. Under the policy, use of all tobacco products—smoked and smoke-free alike—and tobacco-less, smokeless electronic cigarettes is prohibited on library grounds and in library vehicles. Smoking in a private car at least 25 feet from a library entrance or air vent remains allowed.

“Smoking at entrances to some libraries was making some people feel unwelcome,” Executive Director Neel Parikh said. “We also noted that staff was taken away from providing services to enforce the smoking at entrances law.”

However, only 10 Pierce County libraries, including Buckley’s, have adopted the policy. Those locations are fully owned by Pierce County Library System; the remaining eight locations are not.

Though the excluded libraries are not officially smoke free under library rules, all applicable state laws against smoking indoors and at entrances still apply.