Tobacco Ban on Campus Divides Student Body-Final

Tobacco Ban on Campus Divides Student Body

Texas State University adopted a ban on all tobacco products. The ban took affect August 1, 2011 and has since left the student body questioning its effectiveness.

                 

University President Denise Trauth announced the tobacco free policy in May of last year and sent out an email to all students and faculty via e-mail. Trauth said the main reason for the smoking ban was due to the health risks related to tobacco use.

The policy states “Texas State University is committed to maintaining healthy and safe campuses in San Marcos and in Round Rock,” however some feel this commitment isn’t being taken seriously by all.

               

Students report witnessing the policy being ignored daily, “The ban is pointless because students still smoke,” said Nick Juarez, freshman art major. “The ban is a good idea but it needs more enforcement.”

Several surveys were completed showing that 78.7 % of Texas State students believe there are potential benefits of TSU becoming a completely smoke-free campus and 67 % were in favor of becoming a completely smoke-free campus. With so much support for a smoke-free campus where does the lack of compliance stem from?   

                 

Many feel that the lack of compliance stems from the authorities shortage of enforcement. “It would be more effective if the rule was enforced more strongly. There's really no one out there regulating it or offering consequences for not following the rule,” said Courtney Williams, Social Work major.

 Rather than abiding by the rules people are trying to go around the system. “I feel like the smoking ban really pushes smokers into corners, literally, and makes us have to hide. Some people choose not to hide it, but only because they haven't been approached by authority yet,” said Collin Sutton geography major.

The policy clearly states that everyone on campus must comply with the tobacco free ban. Instead of leaving the enforcement to university police the policy asks individuals who observe policy violations to inform the violator of the universities prohibition of tobacco products. If the individual continues to violate the rules then the correct authority should be notified.

Also, rather than directly putting a ban on tobacco products some students believed designated smoking areas would have been a better option.

Sources:

1.       National College Health Assessment Survey (2010)- Texas State University

2.       Email from President Trauth regarding the tobacco free policy

3.       Nick Juarez

4.       Courtney Williams.

5.       Collin Sutton

6.       Texas State University tobacco free policy