Tobacco-Free Campus Going up in Smoke (FinalDraft)

Last fall, Texas State University initiated a new policy prohibiting the use of tobacco products on its campus. President Dr. Denise Trauth confirmed the decision through a policy announcement last April after much student feedback on the issue.

According to the policy announcement, the decision to go smoke-free originated from scientific evidence suggesting harmful effects and health risks from tobacco use. This decision was supported by a majority of students and staff based on a survey conducted in 2010. More than 2500 people responded to the survey, with 67 percent of the student body and 75 percent of the faculty and staff favoring a smoke-free campus.

Texas State University went forward with this information and became one of the largest public institutions to prohibit tobacco products on its campus. But recent feedback has caused some to question whether the ban was too ambitious of a feat for the university.

Ashley Moran, chemistry freshman, smokes to relieve stress and does not believe that the smoking-ban will have an impact on the university. Moran considers the ban pointless because many students do not comply with it.

Indeed, many students seem to have not taken notice to the ban and continue to smoke around and behind buildings. The ban is campus-wide and prohibits the use of all tobacco products.

When asked what the university could do to better enforce the prohibition, Moran said, “Nothing. It’s such a big campus that it would be hard to enforce it and it would be really expensive to also.”

As of last fall, Texas State University had more than 32,000 students enrolled in classes.

Ishmael Johnson, mass communication sophomore, thinks that the ban can be better enforced if university police increase their patrol around and behind buildings. Johnson does not think that the community enforcement expectation of the policy statement is enough to enforce the smoking-ban because people are apprehensive about confronting their peers.

“I think it has raised more problems and a complete ban wasn’t the correct way to go about the smoking situation,” Johnson said. “Instead of less smokers there is more cigarette butts on the ground.”

But there are those who are more optimistic about the ban. Danielle Blackburn, political science freshman, thinks that over time the student body will get used to the smoke-free campus and comply with less restraint.

Shakeil Kanish, mass communication freshman, goes so far as suggesting the university put all smokers in jail.

The issue boils down to a tobacco prohibition with a feeble bite. The first part of the compliance section in the policy statement reads, “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 university has taken several steps to wean students off of tobacco by providing a free smoking cessation program for students via the Student Health Center. Faculty and staff can access this program for $10.