Spring Break
No-tobacco policy to be tested at game
Jack Willems
Issue date: 8/27/08 Section: News
The campus-wide tobacco ban will be tested this weekend at the first home football game since its enactment July 1. While fans had been prohibited from using tobacco products inside the stadium, now they will also be prohibited from using them outside the stadium as long as they are on campus.
"We have been trying to educate our students and fans about this," said Kevin Trainor, director of sports information. "I think that will be an adjustment for more fans."
The university will enforce the ban by asking fans to comply with it, Trainor said. The university has also increased the number of signs on campus that inform people of the policy, he said.
The university will also be strictly enforcing a rule by the Southeastern Conference this year that prohibits fans from exiting the stadium and re-entering the stadium without buying another ticket, Trainor said. The restriction has existed for a number of years, Trainor said. Trainor declined to comment on whether the university had previously allowed fans to step outside the stadium during halftime to smoke.
"The tobacco ban makes it even more imperative that we strictly adhere to SEC policies," Trainor said.
The Arkansas Alumni Association has not received any complaints about the ban from alumni as of yet, said Mike Macechko, executive director of the association. Alumni will probably not complain about the ban until after they go to the game on Saturday, and it may be possible to tell how popular the ban will be among alumni the following Monday, Macechko said.
"I'm willing to bet you people in south Arkansas don't know about the ban," Macechko said. "It's been remarkably silent, and it will be until that first football game."
The compliance section of the tobacco ban allows for voluntary enforcement of the policy by members of the campus community. The ban empowers members to inform others of the ban. It stipulates that the policy will be communicated through signs and decals posted around campus.
While he could not predict what affect the ban would have on attendance of sporting events, Trainor hopes that alumni will continue to attend games, he said. The ban could reduce turnout to games a little, said Ryan Bunch, a sophomore.
"The ban is good in certain areas, but I don't know about a complete campus ban," Bunch said.
Shaughn Reyenga, a freshman journalism major, supports the ban, but thinks it might reduce turnout, he said.
Smoking causes harm to every organ in the body, causing many diseases and reducing the health of smokers in general, according to the 2004 U.S. Surgeon General's Report. Quitting smoking has immediate as well as long-term benefits, reducing risks for disease and improving health in general, according to the report.
"We have been trying to educate our students and fans about this," said Kevin Trainor, director of sports information. "I think that will be an adjustment for more fans."
The university will enforce the ban by asking fans to comply with it, Trainor said. The university has also increased the number of signs on campus that inform people of the policy, he said.
The university will also be strictly enforcing a rule by the Southeastern Conference this year that prohibits fans from exiting the stadium and re-entering the stadium without buying another ticket, Trainor said. The restriction has existed for a number of years, Trainor said. Trainor declined to comment on whether the university had previously allowed fans to step outside the stadium during halftime to smoke.
"The tobacco ban makes it even more imperative that we strictly adhere to SEC policies," Trainor said.
The Arkansas Alumni Association has not received any complaints about the ban from alumni as of yet, said Mike Macechko, executive director of the association. Alumni will probably not complain about the ban until after they go to the game on Saturday, and it may be possible to tell how popular the ban will be among alumni the following Monday, Macechko said.
"I'm willing to bet you people in south Arkansas don't know about the ban," Macechko said. "It's been remarkably silent, and it will be until that first football game."
The compliance section of the tobacco ban allows for voluntary enforcement of the policy by members of the campus community. The ban empowers members to inform others of the ban. It stipulates that the policy will be communicated through signs and decals posted around campus.
While he could not predict what affect the ban would have on attendance of sporting events, Trainor hopes that alumni will continue to attend games, he said. The ban could reduce turnout to games a little, said Ryan Bunch, a sophomore.
"The ban is good in certain areas, but I don't know about a complete campus ban," Bunch said.
Shaughn Reyenga, a freshman journalism major, supports the ban, but thinks it might reduce turnout, he said.
Smoking causes harm to every organ in the body, causing many diseases and reducing the health of smokers in general, according to the 2004 U.S. Surgeon General's Report. Quitting smoking has immediate as well as long-term benefits, reducing risks for disease and improving health in general, according to the report.
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