SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Bingo Exempted From School Smoking Ban

The Capistrano Unified School District board has approved a tobacco ban on all of its property but would allow certain exemptions for adult after-hours events such as bingo.

Trustees first considered a tobacco-free schools policy in late September.

At that time, trustees expressed worries that an outright smoking ban might anger bingo players, who hold games at some campuses and have become a valuable source of revenue for the district.

Under a revised policy approved last week, bingo games and other uses where minors are not present would be exempt from the smoking ban, which includes smokeless tobacco.

Board President Paul B. Haseman said the school district’s attorneys had found that the revised policy wouldn’t jeopardize federal and state funding the district expects to receive for making its properties smoke-free.

In September, trustee Sheila Benecke said that money raised from bingo games had built the football stadium at Dana Hills High School.

Trustees agreed that the majority of avid bingo players seemed to be cigarette smokers as well.

“If you’ve been to Vegas or bingo, you’ll find that a lot of people smoke,” Haseman said.

The tobacco ban applies to district staff, students, volunteers, contractors and vendors.

Except for bingo and other potential adult-only events, the ban extends to people attending activities on school district property.