Many students, as well as staff members, are regular smokers. In the recent past, they have smoked nearly anywhere, with the exception of inside campus buildings. Now, smokers are being told not to smoke anywhere on campus, including parking areas. However, there are no penalties toward people who continue to smoke on campus; nor are there any versions of enforcement even suggested in the statement announcing the policy. Rather than instituting any official reprimands for on-campus smoking, the statement encourages anyone who witnesses someone smoking on campus to remind them of the policy and ask them to stop smoking. One can only imagine the various responses that might be given after such a suggestion. In order to make this policy as successful and effective as it can be, the university must invest in some sort of penalty program to enforce the smoking ban on campus.
To ensure smokers get the idea, we must make much stronger efforts than posting yard signs and door stickers around campus. The University should take a greater initiative to make the smoke-free campus policy effective. This may mean introducing a penalty policy for those people who choose to smoke on campus. To keep the policy as friendly as possible, the university should send out an email warning to let smokers and nonsmokers alike know that such a policy will be put into place. When the penalty policy becomes active, UAPD and other UA security staff should be given the authority to give smokers a sort of “smoking ticket.” Smokers would receive a written warning when seen smoking on campus. If the smoker should be seen smoking on campus following the written warning, they would receive a “smoking ticket,” for which they would have to pay a fine of a set amount.
The idea of the University’s smoke-free campus policy is great and most definitely needed. It is unrealistic, though, to believe that people will follow a rule that has no consequences. To make this policy effective and to make the University an actual smoke-free campus, we must take some sort of action to reprimand those who choose to smoke on campus. The offers to support smokers in quitting this habit are kind. However, it will take much more than caring propositions to successfully create a completely smoke-free campus. The University should use the authority it has and take action against smoking on campus.
Danielle Waddell is a freshman majoring in journalism.
