Texas State Student Weigh In On Tobacco Ban (final)

Liza Winkler

2/15/12

Texas State Students Weigh In On Tobacco Ban

Word Count: 594

Texas State students have responded with relatively positive compliance to a campus-wide tobacco ban policy implemented over six months ago.

Smoking was first banned inside university owned or leased buildings and vehicles in 2000.  The Quad, the outdoor areas near Alkek Library and the Academic Services Building breezeway became smoke-free seven years ago.

Texas State was the first university in the Texas State University System to implement a tobacco-free policy which went into effect on Aug. 1, 2011.

Iza Martinez, literature masters student, is a nonsmoker. Martinez said she thinks students hide more frequently around campus to smoke since the tobacco ban was put in place. She said the university should revert back to designating special areas for smoking rather than ban tobacco entirely.

“I think the smoking ban was brought in because the smoking population is way smaller than the non-smoking population,” Martinez said. “Maybe they wanted to make the campus better for the majority.”

Natalie Oliver, interdisciplinary studies sophomore, and student smoker, said she has not seen any university officials enforcing the smoking ban around campus. She said she would stop smoking on campus if she was approached by a police officer about her behavior.

“If no one is cracking down, people will continue to smoke,” Oliver said. “People will just hide more. I definitely don't smoke mid-campus though because that's not fair for other people to smell smoke.”

Repetitive reminders for tobacco ban violations can result in student referral to the Dean of Students Office. Faculty member violations are reported to the Office of the Provost and staff members consult with the Joanne Smith, vice president of Student Affairs, for any referrals.

Emilio Carranco, director of the Student Health Center, said the University Police Department received 117 reports of smoking violations on campus last semester. He said five students, no faculty members and one staff member were referred to the respective department officials for repeated violations of the tobacco ban.

Jamie Peterson, technical communication masters student, is a nonsmoker. Peterson said she has only observed a few people smoking at Texas State in comparison to her undergraduate college where smoking was permitted. 

“In the long run, I think hopefully people will realize it's just too much trouble to walk off campus to smoke,” Peterson said. “They have to trek up or down the hills and they realize they can't breathe. Maybe it's because they smoke all the time.”

Tiffany Rainey, English junior, and student smoker, said she has no where to put her cigarette butts since the university removed ashtrays as part of the tobacco-free policy. She said she has already cut back on smoking and will quit smoking on campus if the tobacco ban is enforced more visibly.

"At first I was a little pissed off [about the tobacco ban], it was so sudden,” Rainey said. “Girls have said hateful things to me when they see me smoking. One girl told me, 'You're wrong for that.’”

Seth Davis, communication design senior, is a former smoker. Davis said he quit smoking because he did not want to die at a young age and be unhealthy. He said more students need to abide by the tobacco-free policy instead of smoking in hidden areas.

"[The tobacco ban] is one of the best things to happen on campus in a long time," Davis said. “It makes it more pleasant for everyone."

Students can receive aid to quit smoking at the Student Health Center with a free cessation program and discounted cessation medications. Faculty and staff can utilize the on-campus smoking cessation program for $10.

Sources

Iza Martinez - literature masters student

Natalie Oliver - interdisciplinary studies sophomore 

Emilio Carranco - director of the Student Health Center

Jamie Peterson - technical communication masters student

Tiffany Rainey - English junior 

Seth Davis - communication design senior
Student Health Center website - http://www.healthcenter.txstate.edu/