UA should compromise on tobacco policy
Cody Kees
Issue date: 2/4/09 Section: Opinion
The recent plea by the Residents' Interhall Congress for designated tobacco-use areas on campus comes at a very appropriate time. Not only has our university trampled our rights to lawfully engage in tobacco use by completely outlawing its use on campus, but our popular governor is seeking to use his bully pulpit to tax Arkansas out of tobacco indulgence, as well.
As the official voice of every residence-hall dweller, the RIC is the most capable lobby group for on-campus students, and it is the on-campus student who is targeted most by the loss of tobacco privileges on campus. Now that the RIC is setting a protest in motion, this sets the stage for a conversation that should restore legal rights to members of the UA community.
Seven months ago, on June 30, a student could smoke anywhere on campus if he or she were 25 feet from a building. Abracadabra … the next day, an anti-tobacco coalition turned a 25-foot no-smoking zone into a 345-acre no-smoking zone - that being the entire campus.
Was there no room for compromise? Or how about student input? This policy was made in administrative meetings and presented as a complete, rubber-stamped package for the students to simply accept.
The big issue with this whole tobacco fiasco is that we can all agree tobacco use is unhealthy. We can all agree that, as an institution of higher education, the UA should seek to educate students on the dangers of tobacco.
I strongly support the Pat Walker Health Center's Department of Health Promotion and Education and know its work is vital in changing the way students perceive tobacco use. I consider the department director, Ed Mink, a wise source for health issues and a leader in the fight to save students from tobacco's death grip.
However, I think the RIC has a strong point in that totally eliminating tobacco use does not leave room for students to make the educated decision to stop tobacco use for themselves.
Think about it. How much harm would a small smoking area here and there do to the entire campus? (I hope no one argues that point. The wind off Dickson Street blows more smoke than a 10-by-10 designated smoking area on campus ever would.)
As the official voice of every residence-hall dweller, the RIC is the most capable lobby group for on-campus students, and it is the on-campus student who is targeted most by the loss of tobacco privileges on campus. Now that the RIC is setting a protest in motion, this sets the stage for a conversation that should restore legal rights to members of the UA community.
Seven months ago, on June 30, a student could smoke anywhere on campus if he or she were 25 feet from a building. Abracadabra … the next day, an anti-tobacco coalition turned a 25-foot no-smoking zone into a 345-acre no-smoking zone - that being the entire campus.
Was there no room for compromise? Or how about student input? This policy was made in administrative meetings and presented as a complete, rubber-stamped package for the students to simply accept.
The big issue with this whole tobacco fiasco is that we can all agree tobacco use is unhealthy. We can all agree that, as an institution of higher education, the UA should seek to educate students on the dangers of tobacco.
I strongly support the Pat Walker Health Center's Department of Health Promotion and Education and know its work is vital in changing the way students perceive tobacco use. I consider the department director, Ed Mink, a wise source for health issues and a leader in the fight to save students from tobacco's death grip.
However, I think the RIC has a strong point in that totally eliminating tobacco use does not leave room for students to make the educated decision to stop tobacco use for themselves.
Think about it. How much harm would a small smoking area here and there do to the entire campus? (I hope no one argues that point. The wind off Dickson Street blows more smoke than a 10-by-10 designated smoking area on campus ever would.)
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
yvonne
Yvonne McKinley
posted 2/05/09 @ 12:25 PM CST
I agree w/ President. There is no reason to smoke cigarettes on, near or even 100' from the campus.
I believe that President is doing the right thing. (Continued…)
Kevin
posted 2/07/09 @ 2:05 AM CST
Ah, but smoking isn't banned. You are merely "requested to comply." Feel free to smoke wherever on campus, as long as you're willing to mind the glares. (Continued…)
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