Spring Break
UA residents vote against tobacco ban
Lindsey Pruitt
Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: News
More than half of the 1,428 on-campus students who voted in the Residents' Interhall Congress' opinion poll regarding the pending campuswide tobacco ban either disagreed with the ban completely or wanted it amended in some way, according to poll results.
The new tobacco policy, which was announced last summer, was developed by Mary Alice Serafini, assistant vice chancellor for Student Affairs and director of the Walker Health Center. The policy, which is scheduled to go into effect July 1, has sparked some controversy as it will ban all tobacco products from the UA campus.
Voting for the RIC poll took place between Nov. 26 and Dec. 1.
"We represent the nearly 4,200 students living on campus and consist of hall senates in every hall, a campuswide senate, and a nine-member executive team," said Johnny Biggs, RIC president. "Our mission is to be the voice of the on-campus student, and our many student leaders work hard to do just that.
"I wrote the referendum with the help of [Pomfret senators] Ryan Bauer, Amy Wallace, William Hogan and [director of leadership development] Whitney Perkins and several other senators," Biggs said. "I had a lot of input from other RIC execs and senators on what exactly to ask and what options would cover the opinions of most students."
"I'm a non-tobacco user and come from a family of non-tobacco users, and I believe the referendum is a little harsh," said UA student Brian Martin. "While the smell of smoke walking around the campus gets annoying sometimes, I don't think that's a reason to completely ban it.
"Tobacco users have chosen that lifestyle and should not be punished in this way because of it," he said. "There should be areas designated for smoking or rules against doing it near buildings."
"I am not voting for the policy," said UA student Lonnie Gibbons. "This is a public university under the domain of being an open public space. People should be able to exercise their rights that they have in the public space - smoking included.
The new tobacco policy, which was announced last summer, was developed by Mary Alice Serafini, assistant vice chancellor for Student Affairs and director of the Walker Health Center. The policy, which is scheduled to go into effect July 1, has sparked some controversy as it will ban all tobacco products from the UA campus.
Voting for the RIC poll took place between Nov. 26 and Dec. 1.
"We represent the nearly 4,200 students living on campus and consist of hall senates in every hall, a campuswide senate, and a nine-member executive team," said Johnny Biggs, RIC president. "Our mission is to be the voice of the on-campus student, and our many student leaders work hard to do just that.
"I wrote the referendum with the help of [Pomfret senators] Ryan Bauer, Amy Wallace, William Hogan and [director of leadership development] Whitney Perkins and several other senators," Biggs said. "I had a lot of input from other RIC execs and senators on what exactly to ask and what options would cover the opinions of most students."
"I'm a non-tobacco user and come from a family of non-tobacco users, and I believe the referendum is a little harsh," said UA student Brian Martin. "While the smell of smoke walking around the campus gets annoying sometimes, I don't think that's a reason to completely ban it.
"Tobacco users have chosen that lifestyle and should not be punished in this way because of it," he said. "There should be areas designated for smoking or rules against doing it near buildings."
"I am not voting for the policy," said UA student Lonnie Gibbons. "This is a public university under the domain of being an open public space. People should be able to exercise their rights that they have in the public space - smoking included.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 12
Gerald Golden
posted 12/03/07 @ 8:38 AM CST
It obvious that little thought went into this ban. It needs completely rethought, rewritten and put to a campus vote of Students, Faculty and Staff.
Sara Bonds
posted 12/03/07 @ 11:16 AM CST
I have asthma. I didn't ask for it or do anything to get it, it just happened. I have lived with it for years and have methods to prevent asthma attacks. (Continued…)
spartacus007
Adam
posted 12/03/07 @ 2:38 PM CST
Obviously the rule about keeping smokers 20 feet away from entrances should be enforced. That should prevent Sara's asthma and preserve smokers' rights. (Continued…)
Bob Tiberius
Jeremy
posted 12/05/07 @ 7:33 AM CST
The reason that some kind of smoking ban on campus is right is the same reason that a smoking ban in the city of Fayetteville is wrong, there is a difference between public and private property. (Continued…)
MJ
posted 12/06/07 @ 11:02 AM CST
It should be noted that research shows that tobacco smoke only affects your health if you are less than 18 inches away from the smoker. You really shouldn't be that close to anyone. (Continued…)
Trevor
posted 12/07/07 @ 2:02 PM CST
[QUOTE id="bc286aec-efb0-45be-8db1-c17ebfc36585"]It should be noted that research shows that tobacco smoke only affects your health if you are less than 18 inches away from the smoker. (Continued…)
Adam
posted 12/07/07 @ 2:40 PM CST
Breathing in even heavily concentrated tobacco fumes for a few seconds every day is not going to give you cancer.
Trevor
posted 12/07/07 @ 8:14 PM CST
You say that relatively brief exposures to cigarette smoke will not "give you cancer." That's somewhat correct, but the point is moot because it's not right to decide whether to subject other people to something against their will based solely upon whether it's likely to kill them. (Continued…)
Adam
posted 12/07/07 @ 11:51 PM CST
Due to the passage of air, people are subject to all sorts of unwanted odors, fumes and sounds. Welcome to life.
I'm sure you've heard, "Everything is poison, there is poison in everything. (Continued…)
Tiffany W
posted 12/09/07 @ 2:36 PM CST
It's nice that the few thousand on campus students had a say in the smoking ban, but what about the rest of us? I am an off campus student, shouldn't my opionion count as much? Am I not paying tuition as well? I, like Sara, have asthma. (Continued…)
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