Smoke Free Campus?

[Sparx]

My school has proposed the possibility that in the near future, our campus would ban smoking.

My english class assigned a research paper over this. I've not started my research yet, but I was just wondering what you guys would think about this.

The possible ban would either include:
Designated smoking areas
or
A complete ban on smoking on campus grounds
or
designated non smoking areas (so close to buildings, certain public areas, but the rest of campus is allowed to smoke)

what do you think?

 

[GoofysOnlyGirl]

The main campus has banned areas, like you can't smoke within 15 feet of a dorm or something, but it is not enforced AT ALL.

The Rosen Campus off I-drive (which is still a part of UCF Orlando, just a separate location) has a 100% smoke free environment. It is tiny tiny, like the size of an apartment complex I would say so it is easier to manage.

**Edit because I forgot to say what I think about it

I think for the main campus if they tried banning it, it would be a nightmare. UCF is the third largest university in the nation, little more than half of the students (so around 20-30 thousand) actually attend classes on the main campus. It would be too much to try and enforce a non-smoking environment. Plus it is a public university, meaning it gets funding from the state. I believe it would have to be something that tax payers vote on, since they are paying. I am not 100% sure on that, it depends on exactly where there funding comes from.

For Rosen, I think it is reasonable. The campus was funded 50% by Harris Rosen? The owner of Shingle Creek, Rosen plaza etc. It might not have been 50% but something along those lines. Professionals walk through every day, big name companies come and hire students on campus. It is a hospitality school. There are many factors that allow it to be smoke-free. Plus the campus is small enough to where you can walk across the street for a smoke break and be back in all about 10-15 minutes.

 

[DISKATER69]

Well I think it should be banned in certain areas but not the whole campus. It would be smart to give smokers somewhere to go where they don't have to leave campus to smoke. At the same time, places that are busy or have a lot of people around them should have smoking banned just because people shouldn't have to deal with cigarette smoke.

 

[Sparx]

The school's current policy is no smoking within 30 feet of doors/windows of any building. But its not inforced at all, and smokers will stand RIGHT next to a door or window and smoke for ten or fifteen minutes, in large groups of people. Its awful when you're trying to get into class because its so concentrated in that one area.

I'm definitely for restricting it.

 

[StitchfansJr]

Honestly, even if they restrict it, people are still going to smoke where ever they want. I'd be for it, though.

 

[Savikins]

I think they should make it so there are designated smoking areas. Not designated non-smoking areas because I'm pretty sure there are more non-smokers than smokers. But banning it completely should only be a last resort, like if people ignored the designated smoking areas they should have to lose their privilege entirely.

Cigarette smoke is nasty.

 

[DramaQueen]

i would love it if my campus did that!!
we have a no smoking within 10 metres of the door rules but its not enforced and those dirty gross smokers stand right next to the door and blow smoke in your face. or i'll be walking from one building to another and get smoke blown in my face from someone walking in front of me, it's awful.

we had a week at my school where they drew a box around the designated non smoking area (the 10 metre area) and the smokers would still stand inside the boxes, i wanted to go crazzzzzy!!

i don't understand why smokers have to be so inconsiderate! good luck to your school in trying to enforce that, i can only imagine that if my school banned smoking the smokers would most likely not abide by whatever rules they introduced.

 

[Sparx]

i would love it if my campus did that!!
we have a no smoking within 10 metres of the door rules but its not enforced and those dirty gross smokers stand right next to the door and blow smoke in your face. or i'll be walking from one building to another and get smoke blown in my face from someone walking in front of me, it's awful.

we had a week at my school where they drew a box around the designated non smoking area (the 10 metre area) and the smokers would still stand inside the boxes, i wanted to go crazzzzzy!!

i don't understand why smokers have to be so inconsiderate! good luck to your school in trying to enforce that, i can only imagine that if my school banned smoking the smokers would most likely not abide by whatever rules they introduced.

The only way i can imagine enforcing it would be the way they enforce parking rules. If you get a ticket, you can't register for classes until your ticket is paid. they would need people standing around enforcing the rule though.

 

[Disney Princess Elli]

My school is completely smoke free..
But then again it's needed as there's kids around so..

 

[dancer067]

I think your school could at least try it. I mean, I can't stand smoke. I think it would be great if it worked out!

 

[bananda]

i think its a great idea. most places around where i live have banned smoking indoors (except in homes of course). there have been so many anti-smoking advertising campaigns in the past few years, and as a result, heaps of people have quit. at my college, you can only smoke on the concreted or grass areas outside.

 

[chisnpeke]

My school has one side that is supposed to be "smoke free" and the other side that has no smoking within 25 feet of university owned buildings. People still stand RIGHT outside the doors and smoke, forcing me to walk through it. I also hate when I am walking and someone in front of me is puffing away and the smoke trails behind to me. The rules aren't enforced and they only will be if they have people enforcing it. Maybe if they actually banned it outright more people would stop smoking on campus.

 

[chisnpeke]

The only way i can imagine enforcing it would be the way they enforce parking rules. If you get a ticket, you can't register for classes until your ticket is paid. they would need people standing around enforcing the rule though.

Awesome idea!

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

The campus I lived on last summer was smoke-free. But since I'm not an actual student there, i'm not sure how enforced the rule is.

But its a great idea.

 

[xCourxCorex]

Ours is currently 25' away from any building .. RARELY enforced. I wish they would, but my school seems focus on the most insignificant things instead of things that actually matter (like the smoking near buildings, or the cars that park in Resident-only lots without any sticker at all, and I need to park about a mile away from my building... )

I agree it would be difficult to make the ENTIRE campus smoke-free, and I doubt any smoker would really go off campus for a cigarette. Plus for people without a car on campus, what would they do, walk to the edge of the property and light up? For people with cars, do they just drive around the perimeter and smoke? Idk it seems like it wouldn't work. But designated areas or at the very least, Well-enforced limits would be nice.

 

[minniesBFF]

My campus is supposed to be completely tobacco free. The rule is sort of enforced, but I still see the occasional smoker in their car. At least they're smart enough to do it as they're driving off campus.

I love the idea of smoke free campus, but it's incredibly difficult to achieve this, as others have said. My campus is relatively small, but I still see smoking even though it's banned.

 

[Pearls]

hm.. while i understand that many people don't want to be subject to second-hand smoke, i also think its unfair to make smokers leave campus to have a cigarette.

designated smoking areas might work, but honestly, i don't think all smokers would only smoke in those areas.

my campus doesn't have any rules against where you can smoke. if you don't like smoke, move away from the person smoking? its not like theyre forcing you to stand by them.

 

[marypops!]

There's no smoking on school property here. The school has told us many times that if people want to smoke, they should go over to the park opposite, but that doesn't stop every smoker standing straight outside the only entrance into the school... So to get in and out, you have to walk through the crowd. It does bug me, especially when they take up the entire pavement so you can't walk around them without ending up in the road.

 

[BabyPiglet]

My campus is completely smoke free, thank goodness. Some old rich guy donated a ton of money to us, but only on the condition that our entire campus would be smoke-free and the rule would be enforced. If you're caught smoking you get a ticket and a hold on your account until it's paid, I believe.

Shelby, it is so great to be able to stroll around my campus with out loads of disgusting smoke coming at you. SMOKE TRAVELS. Just 'not standing next to a smoker' doesn't help at all, so I'm very thankful my campus is like this.

Good luck!

 

[DramaQueen]

My campus is completely smoke free, thank goodness. Some old rich guy donated a ton of money to us, but only on the condition that our entire campus would be smoke-free and the rule would be enforced. If you're caught smoking you get a ticket and a hold on your account until it's paid, I believe.

Shelby, it is so great to be able to stroll around my campus with out loads of disgusting smoke coming at you. SMOKE TRAVELS. Just 'not standing next to a smoker' doesn't help at all, so I'm very thankful my campus is like this.

Good luck!

OMG You are soooooo lucky Jenny!! I wish they would at least enforce the 10m rule at my school. You're supposedly not allowed to smoke within 10 metres of the door of a building, but smokers are constantly standing right in front of the friggin door it's so irritating!!

One week these anti-smoking campaign people drew chalk circle 10m from each door and the amount of smokers who still stood inside the circles was disgusting. I would like to see just ONE of them get a ticket one time.
They dole out parking tickets at my school like they're candy but I've never seen/heard about anyone getting a ticket for smoking.

IDC about having a completely smoke-free campus, but if they abided by the rules that we DO have in regards to smoking it would certainly be nice.