The rules you already live with in Baton Rouge
If you smoke or vape in Baton Rouge, the local rules have probably shaped your day more than you notice. The City-Parish says its smoke-free ordinance, Baton Rouge City Code 12:600, has been in effect since June 1, 2018. The list of covered places on its Smoke-Free Baton Rouge page is long: restaurants and bars, casinos, hotels, workplaces, schools, airports, playgrounds, parks and CATS buses, among others. Smoking is still allowed in private homes and vehicles, tobacco and vape shops, hookah and cigar bars, and open-air seating areas, balconies and patios.
That local ordinance sits on top of state law. Louisiana R.S. 40:1291.11 bars smoking in any public building, any school, and any public place or enclosed area within a place of employment, and it says an employer may not knowingly permit smoking in enclosed work areas. The statute then lists its own exemptions, beginning with private homes, residences and automobiles. In practice, the parish ordinance is the one that reaches the bar and casino floor here.
Note that the parish rules name vaping alongside smoking. If you switched to an e-cigarette thinking the indoor rules would be different for it, the City-Parish page says otherwise.
The LSU campus
LSU Policy Statement 118, titled Tobacco-Free Campus, prohibits smoking and the use of all tobacco products on land, buildings and facilities that LSU owns, leases or controls. The policy's definitions include electronic cigarettes and other vapor products, and it applies to faculty, staff, students, administrators, contractors and visitors alike.
For anyone who studies or has a job on campus, or who visits, that means there is no corner of university property set aside for lighting up. For some people, that rule, combined with a long day on campus, becomes a reason to think about stopping smoking or vaping.
Kinds of help you will find listed here
The listings on this page are plain listings of independent providers: stop-smoking coaches, consulting hypnotists, and group programs. The directory doesn't run any of them and doesn't check anyone's credentials. It simply helps you find people to contact.
Formats vary a great deal:
- One-on-one coaching, in person or by video, usually spread over several weeks
- Group programs that meet on a set schedule with others making the same change
- Sessions with a consulting hypnotist, often combined with written follow-up material
None of these is right for everyone. Think about whether you prefer talking things through with one person, having a group around you, or trying something more structured.
Questions to ask a provider
- How many sessions do you usually plan, and how far apart?
- Do you meet in Baton Rouge, online, or both?
- Do you work with people who vape as well as people who smoke?
- What do you do between sessions to keep in touch?
- What is your training, and how long have you done this work?
- What happens if I slip and smoke or vape again partway through?
A provider who answers directly and plainly gives you a clearer sense of what you are paying for. If a provider makes sweeping promises, keep asking questions.
It is also reasonable to talk with your own doctor or pharmacist before or alongside working with a provider listed here, especially if you have other health concerns or take daily medicines.
Practical notes for Baton Rouge
If you are a student or staff member at LSU, ask a provider whether they can meet near campus or by video between classes. Long days on a campus with no smoking or vaping anywhere on its grounds can be a natural point to begin, and a provider who knows the layout of your week can plan around it.
If you live in one household with others who smoke, mention that too. Private homes are outside both the state law and the parish ordinance, so the rules at home are the ones you and your family set.
Evening and weekend sessions are common, which helps if you work shifts. If you commute across the parish, an online session may be easier to keep than one across town at rush hour.
Think about the places in your week where you used to step out for a cigarette, such as a break area at work, the walk across campus, or a night out at a bar where you now head to the patio. Telling a provider about those moments gives them something concrete to plan around.