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Cigarettes not ‘put out’ by the ban
by sara jochems
Statesman staff writer
As of Sept. 1, smoking was banned at UMD, with the exception of residential housing, which will become smoke free in May 2008. Yet, with the entryways to UMD still filled with smokers, some students are unsure about how the policy will be enforced or are unaware of its existence. “I didn’t even know there was a smoking ban,” senior Nathan Carlsen said.
When asked about how the new smoking ban policy was being enforced at the university, Lt. Anne Peterson of the University Police, answered honestly by saying that it was still in the works.
“Currently, we are having different department heads keeping track of the smoking complaints that they are getting,” Peterson said. “Campus police have also been monitoring and keeping track of the phone calls we have been receiving.”
With the enforcement policies not yet set in stone, some UMD students have their own ideas on how to enforce the ban.
“Cameras could be installed throughout the campus,” junior Ryan Bradley said. “Other possibilities would be [through] the faculty, campus security, [writing] tickets and other student [complaints].”
The strictness of the consequences that results from smoking is also questioned.
“I think that just enough enforcement should be used so that it doesn’t disturb the students of the university,” sophomore Cory Claeson said. “If smoke is getting into the dorms, classrooms and apartments, then it is annoying and distracting and should be enforced.”
Students opinions vary on the fairness of the ban itself.
“I think it [the ban] might be a little extreme,” junior Alisa Beske said. “Personally, I’m not a smoker but have friends that do, and they aren’t happy about it.”
Those thoughts were echoed by junior Luke Selness, who thought the ban was unrealistic.
“I am curious as to how they will regulate it,” he said Yet others could care less about the ban and continue to do what they have been doing for years.
“I have a mind and body,” fifth-year Gabrielle Braun said. “If I choose to put cigarettes in my body, that’s my deal, even though I am aware of the risks. The fact that I don’t get a choice whether or not I’d like to smoke makes the ban a buncha bunk.”
But smoking affects more than just the smoker.
“I am very allergic to second-hand smoke,” freshman Faith Thompson said. “I love that it [the ban] is going to happen.”
Though in the dorms, people seem to be respectful and obey the 25-foot rule that UMD issued last year, she said. The policy on the other hand doesn’t always affect students, making them indifferent.
“I don’t smoke and none of my friends smoke, so I really don’t have a problem with people who do smoke on campus,” senior Adam Garvey said.
The policy seems to have opinions from all sides, but the issue still remains a problem between how to enforce the ban and what is right for students, faculty and staff at UMD.
“I think the 25-foot rule shouldn’t be completely banned—it is not fair to the people who smoke,” Kelsey White, freshman, said.
Contributions were made by Marisa McKie,
Sarah Doty, Sarah Hasselquist, Carly McLain.
