Smoke-free campus?

 There’s a war slowly erupting on college campuses nationwide – a war between smokers and non-smokers. 

What at first seemed like a mild dispute over clean air and healthiness has sparked heated debates over the morality and legalities of public smoking, especially since the American College Health Association published new information last month with the intent to make all college campuses smoke-free.

The hazards of secondhand smoke have been established for decades, but now non-smokers are preparing to confront those who smoke by attempting to pass bans on public smoking on campuses nationwide – including New York University and the University of Texas at Arlington.

USM’s own smoking policy prohibits only smoking indoors and in places like stadium seating and the areas directly outside doorways, but the policy is up for review yearly by the USM Staff Council, and the Student Senate attempted to revamp the policy in early 2008.

Health nuts and concerned students alike all quote data like the Institute of Medicine’s statement that, “In locales around the world where smoking bans have been enacted, the number of heart attacks have dropped from 53 percent to 47 percent,” and the 2006 surgeon general’s warning, “There’s really no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.” 

“Better, I think, to do what the airports do: restrict smoking to certain well-marked areas, which would be inconvenient neither for the smoker to use, nor for the non-smoker to avoid,” says John Perry, USM professor of mathematics.  “A smoker’s freedom to smoke ends at the point where a substantial amount of that poison can enter a non-smoker’s airspace...I think others have a right to avoid secondhand smoke, and they should exercise that right by avoiding groups of smokers.”

Henry Shephard, a freshman English major from Destrehan, La. said, “Overall, I think it would be healthier for everybody, whether or not they smoke.  Secondhand smoke is deadly regardless.”

Of course,  those who don’t smoke would be inclined to agree with a ban many campuses agree are safer - they have nothing to lose.  Naturally, the smokers are the ones that become appalled at even the concept of a campus-wide ban.

“It would tick me off if smoking was banned,” says Jeff Atkinson, a freshman chemistry major from Brandon, Miss.  “We’re already prohibited from smoking indoors.  We’re being subjected to freezing cold weather outside in the winter time.  I don’t see that as fair.  I’m not trying to blow smoke in others’ faces.”

Many others would disagree, however, as the dangers of smoking become continually more apparent.  In recent times, a social prejudice has been formed against those who continue the habit.  Places like restaurants and airports already prohibit smoking in some places, and it’s considered rude to smoke inside a non-smoker’s house.  The areas in which one can smoke are becoming less prominent.

Over 356 campuses nation-wide have become smoke-free, and only time will tell if USM chooses to follow suit.