smoking and chewing

[hacimsaalk12]

i know many people in our troop that smoke/chew (sometimes on troop activites). these include adult leaders as well as scouts (18 and under). i was wondering if there is any policy that would prohibit this, either on the scout level, or on the adult level.(This message has been edited by hacimsaalk12)

[Laurie]

The Guide to Safe Scouting answers this questions, and it can be found on-line here:

http://www.scouting.org/pubs/gss/toc.html

 

Bold print is BSA policy rather than just a guide. From the above-mentioned publication, here is the answer to your question:

 

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.

 

 

[kenk]

Regarding tobaco use:

The only Council camp I've been to (with Cub Scouts) requires adults to smoke in the parking lot. Unfortunately many adults smoke on the part of the parking lot right next to where the U.S. Flag is. That puts them immediately adjacent to youth. To me that is just not appropriate in Scouting.

 

First, let me say that I do not smoke, but I have absolutely nothing against smokers and have a number of very good friends & coworkers who do smoke.

 

Though it is not policy, I would much rather have tobacco use occur completely out of sight of the youth.

 

All the camp would have to do is to put up a section of 8 ft privacy fence on the far edge of the parking lot and have smokers stand on the other side of the fence. It isn't intended as punishment or degradation. Its just trying to keep tobacco use away from the boys.