University officials are working to extend campus smoking policies to match a recent citywide ordinance. Eugene City Council passed the new ordinance Feb. 28. The law extended the city smoking ban to 25 feet from the doors of publicly owned buildings, and it does not apply to University buildings.
Officials are wasting their time with this policy. For one, we doubt the University is going to start equipping the Department of Public Safety with tape measurers to ensure that an additional 15 feet (the current standard at the University is 10 feet) separates a smoker from a building. We have seen signs on doors to buildings such as the Lillis Business Complex stating that smoking is not allowed within 50 feet. On a daily basis, smokers practically lean against these signs and light up. There is no system in place for enforcing these rules, and until there is, don’t squander time making more of them.
Paula Staight, director of health education at the University Health Center, said she would like to see smoking banned on campus, similar to the policies in place at most K-12 schools. The vast majority of students on this campus are adults, at least legally speaking. College students should not be subject to the same rules as children.
Let’s pretend the ban is now in effect.
Problem No. 1: People smoke to reduce stress. Many college students (people with heavy class loads, multiple jobs, bills, etc.) rely on a quick cigarette during a 10-minute break to calm down, collect their thoughts and prepare for their next class. If smoking were outlawed on campus, it would result in a higher stress level among students and professors.
Problem No. 2: Rather than forfeit smoking during school hours, many would choose to walk to the edge of campus to get their fix and then rush to class. We’re not sure professors would appreciate an increase in the number of late students.
Problem No. 3: Smokers’ freedom is already under attack in bars, restaurants and every other indoor space. Many smokers understand that smoking indoors poses a threat to other people’s health. However, this cannot be said for the outdoors. To extend smoking laws to large outdoor areas would be an infringement on personal choice and civil liberties, with little payoff.
We would never encourage this unhealthy habit, but we plead with the University administration to leave smokers the outdoors on this campus. Setting empty rules with little enforcement that infringe on student rights is bad policy and a waste of time. In the words of graduate teaching fellow Terese Reynolds (“25 feet,” ODE, April 6), “This is the only place we have left.”

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