Are you a smoker? If so, your actions on campus could be coming under strict scrutiny very soon. Last week, a debate took place concerning a “tobacco ban.” This proposed ban is a result of Louisiana legislation that mandates smoke-free public universities. While the new law only enforces a ban on smoking, schools may choose to enact a full ban on tobacco, including smokeless tobacco products. Although the university’s administration will make the final decision on whether LSU will be a tobacco-free campus, the Student Government discussed the proposition and came to a decision: Students are not in favor of a full ban on tobacco.
Act No. 211, enacted by the Louisiana legislature last year, states that there shall be “general smoking prohibitions on certain public post-secondary education campuses.” It also states that universities should develop “smoke-free policies” for their campuses. While all public post-secondary institutions are required to create smoke-free campus policies, an additional option is available to the administrations. The act also states that these institutions may create a tobacco-free campus policy, if they so choose. This tobacco-free policy would ban all tobacco, including oral tobacco products.
The opinions of students on both a smoke-free campus policy and a tobacco-free campus policy are mixed. Students who support a smoke-free campus do not smoke and are irritated by smokers who leave clouds of smoke under over-hangs, such as at the library or the bus stop. I also assume that not many people are pleasantly surprised by the trail of smoke following someone that they cannot get around on the way to class. After all, if a student is not a smoker, he or she is probably not a fan of secondhand smoke. But smoking advocates don’t want to give up their rights to smoke on campus. Students that smoke are students, nonetheless. They pay the same tuition as non-smoking students, so why should they be made to give up their own habits? If the ban is for the health of the students, should the university ban fast food and Finals Week too?
Some students support a smoke-free policy but don’t care very much about other smokeless tobacco products. A member of Tri Delta, Victoria Pryor, said, “I’m in favor of the tobacco ban in regard to smoking because I hate walking around campus with people walking in front of me blowing smoke in my face and endangering my health. With it allowed on campus, it is almost impossible to avoid secondhand smoke when going to class. I’m indifferent in regard to chewing tobacco because it does not harm or bother me in any way.”
The result of last week’s debate seems to suggest that many students share Pryor’s views. The majority of faculty members support a tobacco-free campus policy, but 60% of students are opposed to it. The decision will ultimately be made by university administration, and it will certainly be interesting.
