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Students question smoking ban’s effectiveness

Texas State University implemented a smoking ban on the entire campus in August 2011, leaving students wondering if it has accomplished anything.

In an announcement to the university, Texas State University President Denise Trauth said that the reasoning behind the ban was scientific evidence of the health risks associated with smoking. According to the University Star, 67 percent of about 1,300 students supported a tobacco-free campus.

The issue at hand now is how to enforce the ban well enough to work. According to the policy on the Texas State website, students and others on campus are expected to comply with the ban; however, many believe that the University Police Department does not enforce the ban with consequences for violations.

Jamie Peterson, a graduate student, is one of the many students contemplating the ban’s effectiveness. "… I don't think it's working…I see people smoking all the time," said Peterson.

Some students said they still smoke on campus, but not as noticeably. Natalie Oliver and Ashley Winslow, both studying interdisciplinary studies, said they usually hide to smoke on campus.

Many students suggested an alternative to the ban on smoking. “I think there should be an area where people can go if they want to smoke," said James DeRoulac, finance major.

Collin Couey, an English major, agreed. “I think they should have made designated smoking areas…but I don't think they should've gone straight to a ban," said Couey.

Time to adjust may be the key for the ban to be more effective. Political science major Danielle Blackburn thought that students may be more receptive to complying now that several months have passed since the ban was first initiated.

A smoking cessation program is offered for free, and medications designed to help students quit are available at discounted prices at the Student Health Center, according to the university website. The hope is that the ban will provide motivation for students to use the available resources to quit.

"It'll take people actually caring about the ban enough. People need to want to enforce for it to be enforced," said Wendy Barriga, a microbiology major.