BSA Smoking Policy?

[canetuck 10]

Hi all, we just started a new cub scout pack in our small town.Everyone is new to scouting from Cubmaster down.We are all learning and trying to get on our feet.I want to know if BSA has a smoking policy.What I mean is,does BSA have any written rules against smoking (parents,den leaders,cubmaster)at cub scout outings?We were at a cub scout outing this weekend and was apalled to see our CM smoking in front of kids.He kinda tried to hide it ,but there were scouts close by and I know they had to see.Is this acceptable?

[rdclements 10]

Try this: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/gss04.aspx

 

All scouting activities are tobacco free - not just smoke free. If your CM has to fix, he should go somewhere out of sight and smelling distance.

[CalicoPenn 729]

Welcome to Scouting and welcome to the forum.

 

Best place to get the answer is right from the BSA. The following is verbatim from the online Guide to Safe Scouting:

 

The Boy Scouts of America prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances at encampments or activities on property owned and/or operated by the Boy Scouts of America, or at any activity involving participation of youth members.

 

Adult leaders should support the attitude that young adults are better off without tobacco and may not allow the use of tobacco products at any BSA activity involving youth participants.

 

All Scouting functions, meetings, and activities should be conducted on a smoke-free basis, with smoking areas located away from all participants."

 

When the BSA states that Adult leaders may not allow the use of tobacco products at any BSA activity involving youth partipants, it means that you can't let the youth smoke or chew (not much of an issue for Cub Scouts I imagine). Now some might say that it is also a ban on adults using tobacco products at BSA activities, but the BSA goes on to state that smoking areas should be located away from all participants. The BSA recognizes that adults can smoke, and many do. They just don't want people smoking near the Cubs and Scouts.

 

Of course, while the policy is flexible on allowing adults to smoke, it doesn't mean that the Council or District can't declare an event a smoke-free event banning all smoking during the duration of the event, or that Council can't declare a Council-owned property (like their summer camp) a smoke-free property, or for that matter, it doesn't mean your Pack can't declare itself a non-smoking Pack (but doing so means potentially losing leaders and parents which means losing boys).

 

In your situation, the Cubmaster tried to hide his smoking from the Cubs - sounds like he was trying to follow this policy the best he could. As long as he wasn't brazenly lighting up in front of the Cubs, then there really doesn't seem to be a policy issue/solution here. Instead it sounds as if the Pack needs to have a conversation about how to handle this, keeping it friendly and open to compromise on both sides - if any side takes a hard line stance, I'm afraid that the new Cub Scout Pack and the Cub Scouts will be hurt by adult hangups right from the get go.

 

Since you're all new, you'll all want to take advantage of some of the on-line training available to you as soon as you can.

 

Good luck with your new Pack - and most importantly: HAVE FUN.

 

 

[Shilue 10]

Our pack policy is that if you must smoke, it must be done away from and out of sight of the cub scouts.

 

In 3 years+ of being in the pack, I've never seen an adult smoking at meetings or campouts, so they do a good job of doing it away from the scouts.

[Twocubdad 665]

Oh Lord, here we go again.

 

As you read the BSA policy on tobacco use, keep in mind that the writing of the policy was likely out-sourced to a company in Pakistan where English was a second language for the employees.

 

I'm not even going to try to discuss the policy. Your reading is as good as anyone's. Over the years the phrase "may not allow" has been debated here in torturous depth. I really hope we don't do it again.

 

My advice would be to for your pack to come up with a plan everyone can live with. This day and time, I doubt anyone thinks it's a good idea to smoke in front of the boys. Many camps and facilities you go to will be tobacco free. That your CM seems to be aware that he shouldn't be smoking around the kids is a good indication that he's not insensitive to the situation. If bet if you keep it friendly and in the best interest of the Scouts, everyone can reach a reasonable compromise.

[evmori 11]

Yep we have debated this until the cows came home!

 

If the BSA wanted to ban smoking it would have been real easy to word but the BSA chose to make it confusing.

[VigilEagle04 10]

As a smoker and a Scouter, I know how I handle things. I take a walk away from the campsite, usually in the opposite direction of the Scouts, for my smoke breaks. Sometimes this is hard, as you never know where a Scout may be.

 

We had a saying on camp staff: When the Boy Scouts are in camp, there is a Scout behind every tree, when the Cub Scouts are here, there is one on your back at all times. The saying was usually a reminder about our use of language and other things we may say, I also tend to take it to heart for smoking. If I can't get to an isolated area (I will usually just hold off. Usually there is some area marked as off-limits to youth, and I try to head there, whenever it is a district or council thing.

 

Now, all that being said, I have a different take on the whole attitude around it anyway. When I've been a troop leader, the Scouts have always known I was a smoker. We talked about it, I told them I regret being a smoker, and that I waver back and forth on how much I do smoke (like right now it's about 3 cigs a day). To me, it's better to be honest and say "I don't condone this, I wish I wasn't addicted to it, I'm working to correct it, but I am a smoker." This way, if they do see me smoking, they just turn around and head the other direction, as I also explain I will do my best not to smoke around them and prefer not to smoke around them. If I try to completely hide it from them, it feels dishonest to me. I feel like it would be worse for them to see me smoking outside of a Scouting function and finding out that way after me hiding it, than me just being up front about it.

[NJCubScouter 1389]

Yes, we have had this discussion several times before and yes, it is a poorly worded policy. The interpretation of this policy has ranged all over the place. My position in those past discussions was that with the words, "may not allow the use of tobacco products at any BSA activity involving youth participants", the BSA meant to ban smoking by both adults and youth at all functions where youth are present. However, I realize that different interpretations are at least plausible. I wish they would just come right out and ban smoking at Scouting activities completely, using similar wording to the ban on use of alcohol which is also quoted above.

[FScouter 24]

As with most rules in life, there is only ambiguity if one doesn't like the rule.

[evmori 11]

As with most rules in life, there is only ambiguity if one doesn't like the rule.

 

Wrong. If the BSA wanted to truly ban smoking the wording would read "Smoking is prohibited on all BSA property and at all BSA functions (defined)". Instead, the BSA decided to toss in words like "should be" or "may be" leaving it open to interpretation.

[NJCubScouter 1389]

But FScouter, what is the rule in this case? Is smoking by adults on a camping trip, "away from the boys" (which never really works) allowed, or isn't it?

 

Sorry TwoCubDad, I guess we are getting into the issue again.(This message has been edited by njcubscouter)

[BadenP 93]

"A scout is clean",... clean in his personal habits.

 

Lets be honest Smoking put plainly is a dirty, disgusting and expensive habit(addiction).

Anyone working with kids on campouts or other trips and who is running off to the woods every hour to light up is doing a disservice to the kids. In the privacy of your own home is one thing but exposing your scouts to second hand smoke is quite another. Besides think of all the money you would save.

[evmori 11]

"A scout is clean",... clean in his personal habits.

 

Lets be honest Smoking put plainly is a dirty, disgusting and expensive habit(addiction).

Anyone working with kids on campouts or other trips and who is running off to the woods every hour to light up is doing a disservice to the kids. In the privacy of your own home is one thing but exposing your scouts to second hand smoke is quite another. Besides think of all the money you would save.

 

It's slippery slope time!

 

Yes smoking is expensive and an addiction. I use to smoke. Di so for 30+ years. I quit nearly 10 years ago. Dirty? Don't know about that. Is drinking alcohol a dirty habit? Is gambling a dirty habit?

[shortridge 184]

"May not allow" may be confusing. But the next sentence spells it out - smoking is OK only in designated areas. No smoking in front of the kids. Simple enough for the OP's question.

 

"All Scouting functions, meetings, and activities should be conducted on a smoke-free basis, with smoking areas located away from all participants."

 

 

[SR540Beaver 116]

My how times have changed. I remember the smoking area out behind my church where the smokers lit up between Sunday School and the worship service. Some of the finest men a boy could ever be around.

 

That being said, I gave up smokeless tobacco cold turkey at the 2005 Jambo.