Colleges Banning Smoking Across the United States
By: Elise Barnes
Issue date: 2/2/10 Section: Nation/World
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Many students are upset, but it is helping to promote healthy living on campus.
At the University of Kentucky, there was a campus ban of cigarettes and all other forms of tobacco throughout school grounds and parking areas. Many students on the campus are protesting this new rule.
Throughout the United States, over 365 colleges and universities have antismoking rules indoors and outdoors. The reason is not just secondhand smoke, but for the places to model healthy behavior.
Other schools are restricting smoking to limited outdoor areas. The biggest problem with banning smoking in schools is enforcing it. Many schools have a fine that the smoker has to pay, but for many schools, especially larger campuses, it is hard to keep track of who is smoking.
Spelman Junior and Mathematics Major Toya Skeete said, "I think college campuses should not ban smoking because people are going to do it no matter what. It is always good for them to limit where smoking is allowed though."
What some schools resort to in order to help students quit are provide reimbursement for nicotine patches, gum and prescription medicines. Many students complain that they should have the right to smoke wherever they feel. They feel that if schools provide cafeterias with unhealthy meal choices, that smoking should be allowed as well.
CAU freshman and Finance Major Michelle Hurst said, "I believe smoking should be banned because various studies have showed that second hand smoke decreases brain cells, brain cells we need for learning. And since this is a learning environment, we should do all that we can to continue our search for more knowledge…therefore smoking needs to be banned on college campuses."
With all of the dangers that are found from tobacco, this decision will hopefully cut back the use of tobacco overall in college students, now that they are limited to where they can smoke.
Clark Atlanta has not implemented any rules for smoking as of now, but it is still important that the campus is kept clean and that smokers are mindful of the wants and needs of non-smokers.
