Football fans might want to leave tobacco products at home when they head to area high school stadiums this fall.

School systems in Columbia and Richmond counties are strengthening policies that restrict tobacco products on school grounds. The Columbia County school board is expected to give final approval Tuesday to a policy prohibiting all tobacco on school property.

"It's more or less smokeless tobacco that is being targeted," Superintendent Charles Nagle said.

The Richmond County school board approved a similar policy revision earlier this month. It expands the definition of tobacco products, tobacco use and school property and stipulates that tobacco use is prohibited 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The school systems are updating their policies to support an initiative by Georgia's East Central Public Health District to create tobacco-free schools.

Sadie Stockton, the health district's chronic disease prevention program coordinator, said school support is vital to the health department's efforts to curb tobacco use.

"Tobacco is the No. 1 cause of preventable disease and death in Georgia," Ms. Stockton said.

She also said tobacco-free policies send a strong message to young people.

"Eighty percent of people start smoking before the age of 18," she said.

She said about 20 percent of adult Georgians smoke. She also said 7 percent of the state's middle schoolers and 17 percent of Georgia high school students smoke.

Those unwilling to comply to the policy will be asked to leave school grounds, Columbia County school board member Wayne Bridges said.

According to the Richmond County policy, visitors or volunteers who ignore the policy are given a verbal reminder upon the first violation. With the second violation, they will be asked to leave.

The Richmond County school system has had a tobacco-free policy in place since 1989, but it was revised recently to clarify that enforcement would occur 24 hours a day and that the prohibition on tobacco use also includes smokeless products. Columbia County schools have had a tobacco-free policy since 1990, but they're now also requiring visitors to comply, previously enforcing the rule on students and workers.

Reach Betsy Gilliland at (706) 868-1222, ext. 113, or betsy.gilliland@augustachronicle.com.