Tobacco Cessation

Emory has implemented significant measures to reduce smoking and tobacco use on our campuses and facilities, acknowledging its impact as a leading cause of preventable death.

Helping You Quit

To support our community members in their efforts to give up using tobacco, Emory offers several cessation programs and resources, many of which are accessible to both employees and their spouses. If you are ready to quit for good, Emory can help.

View cessation resources

Tobacco Free Emory

Tobacco Free Emory logo
In 2012, Emory adopted a tobacco-free environment policy, prohibiting smoking and tobacco use on all Emory University and Emory Healthcare properties. The policy includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, all forms of smokeless tobacco, clove cigarettes, and any other smoking devices that use tobacco, such as hookahs, or simulate the use of tobacco, such as electronic cigarettes. Learn more about the policy and how it is enforced on campus and facilities.

Go to Tobacco Free Emory

Tobacco Use Surcharge

To support the health and well-being of our employees, Emory has implemented a $50-per-person monthly ($25 biweekly per pay period) tobacco use surcharge on medical plan contributions for employees and their spouses covered under the Emory medical plan who certify as a “Tobacco User.”  

A “Tobacco User” is someone who has used tobacco products within the past 90 days but does not include religious or ceremonial use of tobacco. The term “tobacco products” refers to any tobacco product, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, all forms of smokeless tobacco, clove cigarettes, and any other smoking devices that use tobacco, such as hookahs, or simulate tobacco use, such as electronic cigarettes.  

When you enroll, you must certify online in Self-Service whether you are a Tobacco User.  

If you certify yourself as a Tobacco User, the per-person tobacco use surcharge will be waived if: 

  • You certify that you and/or your spouse have not used tobacco within the last 90 days; OR 
  • You and/or your spouse complete a tobacco-cessation program offered by Emory and available on Tobacco Cessation or selected by you and/or your spouse; OR 
  • A physician currently treating you and/or your spouse for a medical condition such as nicotine addiction determines that completing a tobacco-cessation program is not medically appropriate or is medically inadvisable. In this case, you and the treating physician will need to complete and return the Tobacco Cessation Physician Affidavit form to the Benefits Department. 

To remove the tobacco use surcharge for one of the reasons listed above, you must contact Emory-Benefits. You can request that the tobacco use surcharge be waived any time during the year, but:

  • Annual Enrollment Changes. Employees who qualify for a waiver and notify Benefits within 90 days of the start of the plan year will have changes applied retroactively to the beginning of the plan year and may be eligible for a surcharge refund. Requests received more than 90 days after the start of the plan year will become effective on the first day of the following month and are not eligible for retroactive refunds.
  • New Hires. New hires who qualify for a waiver and contact Benefits within 90 days of their hire date may be eligible for a retroactive surcharge refund. Requests submitted after 90 days will be effective on the first day of the following month and are not eligible for retroactive refunds. 
  • Family Status Change. Employees who qualify for a waiver due to a family status change and notify Benefits within 90 days of the change's effective date may be eligible for a retroactive surcharge refund. Requests submitted after 90 days will be effective on the first day of the following month and are not eligible for retroactive refunds. 

If you believe you are being charged the surcharge in error, please contact Benefits as soon as you notice the charge.

Mail or email copies of the tobacco cessation completion certificate or Tobacco Cessation Physician Affidavit form to the follow:

  • University Employees: hrbenef@emory.edu
    • Emory University, Benefits and Work Life, 1599 Clifton Road, NEm Atlanta GA 30322

Certifying your status

When you certify your tobacco user status, you attest that the information is accurate and correct to the best of your knowledge. Emory expects employees to uphold the highest standards of intellectual honesty and integrity, in compliance with the Emory Ethics policy. Therefore, you should respond honestly regarding your and your spouse’s status.

Emory University and Emory Healthcare do not currently prohibit smokers from applying/being hired for jobs or attending the university as a student. However, all prospective employees and students should know and abide by the campus and facility policies.

When you first enroll, you must certify online in Self-Service whether you are a Tobacco User.  

If you certify yourself as a Tobacco User, the per-person tobacco use surcharge will be waived if: 

  • You certify that you and/or your spouse have not used tobacco products within the last 90 days; OR 
  • You and/or your spouse complete a tobacco-cessation program offered by Emory and available on Tobacco Cessation or selected by you and/or your spouse; OR 
  • A physician currently treating you and/or your spouse for a medical condition such as nicotine addiction determines that completing a tobacco-cessation program is not medically appropriate or is medically inadvisable.  In this case, you and the treating physician will need to complete and return the Tobacco Cessation Physician Affidavit form to the Benefits Department. 

To remove the tobacco use surcharge for one of the reasons listed above, you must contact Emory-Benefits. You can request that the tobacco use surcharge be waived any time during the year, but: 

  • If you contact Emory-Benefits within 90 days of your hire date, the change will be effective as of the date you enroll in the medical plan, and you will receive a full refund of your tobacco user surcharges.  
  • If you contact Emory-Benefits after 90 days from your date of hire, you may update your tobacco user status, but the change will go into effect on the first of the following month when you make the change. No refunds will be given.

When you first enroll in the Medical Plan, you must certify online in Self-Service whether you are a Tobacco User. If you certify yourself as a Tobacco User, the per-person tobacco use surcharge will be waived for the remainder of the year. However, the surcharge will apply beginning January 1 unless: 

  • You certify that you and/or your spouse have not used tobacco products within the last 90 days; OR 
  • You and/or your spouse complete a tobacco-cessation program offered by Emory and available on Tobacco Cessation or selected by you and/or your spouse; OR
  • A physician currently treating you and/or your spouse for a medical condition such as nicotine addiction determines that completing a tobacco-cessation program is not medically appropriate or is medically inadvisable. In this case, you and the treating physician will need to complete and return the Tobacco Cessation Physician Affidavit form to the Benefits Department. 

You can request that the tobacco use surcharge be waived any time during the year but:

  • If you contact Emory-Benefits by March 31, the change will be effective as of January 1 and you will receive a full refund of your tobacco user surcharges for January, February, and March.  
  • If you contact Emory-Benefits after March 31, you may update your tobacco user status, but the change will go into effect on the first of the following month when you make the change. No refunds will be given.

As a new hire, when you complete the tobacco certification during your onboarding process, your response will be saved and will carry over into the next plan year. If nothing has changed regarding your tobacco use, you won’t need to re-certify during open enrollment. However, if your status changes, for example, if you quit or start using tobacco, you’ll need to update your certification during open enrollment to reflect your current situation.  

If you have questions, please contact: