Campus Tobacco Ban Still In Place

Campus Tobacco Ban Still In Place

A campus wide tobacco ban has been in effect since fall 2011 at Texas State Unviersity. According to the university, a survey conducted on campus found, 67 percent of the students surveyed favored the ban.

         Prior to the ban, only high traffic areas on campus, such as the quad, were smoke-free.

         University President Denise Trauth announced the ban April of 2011. Trauth noted the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and, the student body’s desire to go smoke-free.

         Despite the ban students can still be found smoking on campus. Which poses a question, “how is the smoking ban being enforced?”

         Collin Couey, English senior, was asked about his view of the ban, “I think it’s more of an appearance thing for Texas State to be able to say we’re a smoke- free campus. They don’t enforce it very well.”

         Due to the limited number of officers employed by the university it is unrealistic to believe that Texas State would use its limited manpower to troll the quad for smokers.

         Texas State University’s Tobbaco Policy states, “The university expects that all Texas State community members and others who use tobacco products will voluntarily comply with this policy’s spirit and intent.”

         The only penalty students face is a report to the dean of the Students Office.

         For this, the smokers rejoice. Every student knows where to catch a classmate on his smoke break, near the bus loop, behind Derrick Hall, or next to the Taylor-Murphy building.

         Many student smokers accredit their habit to stress caused by their workload. Ashley Winslow, elementary education sophomore, admitted she is one of those students, “we try not to smoke in the middle of the campus… I try to hide.”

         Despite the criticism there are students, staff and faculty members who continue their support for the ban. Courtney Williams, social work junior, said, “It’s a positive change for the school. It won’t work 100 percent, but it’s a step in the right direction.”

         The American College Health Association urges universities to become tobacco-free. ACHA also states, “environmental tobacco smoke has been classified as a Class-A carcinogen and that there is no safe level of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), a recognized toxic air contaminant.”

         Both the city of San Marcos and the University of Texas are considering similar tobacco bans inside of local businesses and on campus.

 By: Victoria Gomez

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