GRAND FORKS (AP) - A tobacco ban is in effect at the University of North Dakota.

Outdoor ashtrays were left out overnight so students, faculty members and visitors could take their last puffs before the ban took effect Friday.

The ban covers any kind of tobacco product. It affects buildings, grounds, parking lots and sidewalks that are "university-owned property not otherwise leased by outside entities," UND says. That leaves smokers with private homes, certain streets and sidewalks and the smoking zones outside Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Campus Police Chief Duane Czapiewski said officers do not plan to hand out tickets to anyone caught smoking. Warnings will be issued, and the names of repeat violators could be turned over to deans or department heads, he said.

The ban is aimed at education rather than punishment, UND President Charles Kupchella said. A detailed map of the banned zones will be posted on the university Web site, he said.

"Smoking is one of the leading causes of deaths that can be prevented," Kupchella said. "The purpose of the ban is to protect people from killing themselves and, of course, others, too."

Kupchella said he also hopes the ban will reduce health insurance costs by making employees healthier.

Kupchella announced the smoking ban last October at the opening ceremonies for the UND Wellness Center. Since that time, faculty, staff and student government groups have voted to support the ban.

The university will provide free smoking cessation classes, "quit kits" and other materials to help students, faculty and staff who want to stop smoking.

UND began prohibiting smoking inside its buildings in 1990 and its residence halls in 2003.

Bismarck State College, Minot State University, Jamestown College and Valley City State University have similar policies.

Nationwide, 88 colleges and universities were smoke-free indoors and outdoors as of Oct. 1, according to the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation.

BSC banned tobacco last year.

"No one has been fined so far, but I have given numerous warnings," Associate Vice President Mike Lenhardt said.

He said the campus environment has been healthier and cleaner since the ban.

"Some people smoke in their cars, which is not permissible, but we cannot catch that every time that happens," Lenhardt said. "Even though I see many cigarette butts in parking lots now, we don't see smoke blowing into people's faces in front of the doorways anymore."

Lenhardt said he doesn't see people smoking on campus that often.

"Either people stopped smoking or they are hiding well," he said. "I've seen students smoking, hiding behind power units and even trees, though. It's rather pathetic. When that happens, I give them warnings."

Surveys indicate the number of UND students who smoke has declined over the years, said Jane Croeker, the co-chairman of a task force formed last spring to work on the smoking ban.

"The daily smoking rate has gone from 10 percent to 5 percent," she said.