Butt Out
New Initiative targets on-campus smoking
For some students, walking out of class and getting a nicotine fix at one of Whittier College’s designated smoking spots after an hour-long lecture with only minutes to go until the next one is part of the daily de-stress routine. Located near the main structures on campus, the few accessible smoking areas on campus are perfect for a quick smoke stops before class. At the same time, they are still far enough from the main building entrances no-smoking zones. Nevertheless, Whittier College has recently committed to going smoke-free by 2018, leaving many smokers on campus feeling unsettled by this sudden change in policy.
At the beginning of the academic year Dean of Students Joel Perez sent an email informing students where the 12 designated smoking spots could be found. Most are locations are not easy to access between classes. At the end of the email, of course, Perez encouraged students to quit smoking and providing resources to help. The college has tried very hard to keep smokers aware of the risks, from issues in the ‘Installment’ that go around all restrooms on campus to emails from the medical center offering resources for those wanting to quit.
Many smokers, though, say the new rule is unfair to them, despite students having been bombarded over the past semester with surveys about smoking here. The policy is trying to incorporate all members of the college to help tackle the issue of tobacco products on campus, but is there a problem on campus with smoking? Some observers note that Whittier is a small college and the number of smokers here is relatively low, especially considering California’s 21+ law for purchasing tobacco products.
Max, a Whittier student and smoker partially agrees with the policy, but thinks it goes too far. In an email to the Tobacco Free Board, he wrote, “I agree that perhaps we could stand to halve the number of smoking areas but to remove them entirely is unacceptable.” Max is concerned that removing all designated smoking spots could result in all smoking students congregating at the nearest off-campus corner, where they will emit “a massive and continuous cloud of smoke.”
Another problem smokers might face is altercations with neighboring residents, as they might not like to see a continuous cloud of smoke in front of their homes. On the other hand, a faculty member and closet smoker said he agrees with the new policy, as he feels it will help him quit.
One of the largest concerns with on-campus smoking has been second hand smoke. However, smokers note that many of the smoking areas are far enough from main building entrances that nonsmokers rarely walk past them. Furthermore, in an interview with PBSNewshour, Ronald Bayer, a professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health said,” I discovered the evidence was really weak. The evidence of harm to non-smokers on the beach or in a park from someone smoking is virtually non-existent. The evidence that fish and birds are dying because of cigarette butts is virtually non-existent. And even the evidence that seeing someone in a park or beach will encourage kids to smoke is extremely weak.”
Will the new rule be effective? An article in USA Today College points to mixed results. Campus smoking bans do seem to dampen already dwindling enthusiasm for smoking, but smokers say such rules also keep them from using critical campus facilities, such as the libraries, because they can no longer step out for a smoke break. At Whittier, 50 percent of students commute. Will the smoking ban further distance those who also smoke?
Some smokers have suggested a compromise — reducing the number of smoking areas and keep them away from the main campus buildings. This would also allow Campus Safety to test out regulating smoking and nonsmoking areas.
Charlie, a Whittier student who smokes, believes that college’s smoking ban “is about its image, and it’s inconsiderate and too drastic,” she says, adding that she“feels like we have no say. They should just let people live.”
