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Students, faculty react to the tobacco ban

Written by Vinod Srinivasan and Andrew Plock, The Shorthorn staff

Monday, 23 November 2009 10:40 PM

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Of 29,000 students, faculty and staff surveyed, 3,198 responded.

26 percent use tobacco products
74 percent don’t use tobacco products

Breakdown:
18.64 percent – use cigarettes
2.5 percent – use smokeless tobacco
3.53 percent – use cigars
1.66 percent – use pipes
1.09 percent – other tobacco products
78.05 percent – don’t use tobacco products

Of those who use tobacco products…

Do you wish to quit using tobacco products?
Yes – 16 percent
No – 63 percent
Uncertain – 21 percent

Source: Tobacco Free Campus Initiative

Some results may exceed 100 percent because survey participants selected more than one answer.

Although the university’s tobacco ban won’t be in full effect until Aug. 1, 2011, the university community is already reacting.

President James Spaniolo’s decision to make the university tobacco-free has created a wave of response. Those supporting the ban cite health issues and those opposing express concern about personal liberties and the logistics, while still finding time to work or go to class.

Thierry Tirado, French graduate student, teaching assistant and a smoker, said he doesn’t agree with the decision because it suggests smoking outdoors is harmful to people and the environment.

“If they ban smoking, they should ban things that have a bigger impact on the environment, like gas-guzzling SUVs,” he said.

He said he doesn’t plan on quitting and might be late to his classes because he has to go off campus to smoke.

Spaniolo said smoking inside cars in parking lots, with the windows rolled up, will be allowed.

International business junior Jorge Negrete, a non-smoker, said he doesn’t understand the need for the ban right now and the university should focus on more important matters.

“I don’t think they should enforce this because if they are going to make smokers smoke in their cars they should have more parking closer to the campus,” he said. “It’s probably going to make people late to class and have the teacher talk to them because they’re always late.”

Medical technology junior Victoria Chan said she doesn’t like dealing with secondhand smoke at home because her parents smoke, and she is glad the president is making the campus tobacco-free.

“It’s not that I don’t want smokers to smoke, but I wish more of them would abide by the current rules and stay 50 feet away from the doors,” Chan said.

She said she’s glad she doesn’t have to worry about inhaling smoke as soon as she walked out of the Central Library or any of her classes.

Marketing junior Eric Brown said he wouldn’t be a UTA student when the ban goes into effect, he obeys the current tobacco policy and feels the university is overstepping its boundaries.

“It’s an infringement on my rights as an American adult based off of inconclusive data on outdoor tobacco smoke,” Brown said. “I am a courteous smoker and don’t go around trying to blow smoke in people’s faces.”

Chemistry and biochemistry professor Zoltan Schelly, a smoker of 20 years, said the smoking ban will make it very uncomfortable for him not just because he can’t smoke on campus but also because going to one’s car would be an inconvenience.

“I am more concerned about visitors, speakers and prominent guests who smoke,” Schelly said.

He said he wishes there was at least one designated smoking area on campus where students and faculty could go because going off campus for a smoke would be a waste of time and could affect productivity.

Nursing senior Dhruti Derasari said the ban is a good thing for overall health.

“A lot of people have asthma and other medical conditions and secondhand smoke affects people who are around it,” she said. “Irritants cause people to flare up and you don’t want to be responsible for affecting people.”

Business sophomore Kevin Nassiff said the school’s finances will be affected.

“The school is going to lose revenue with people who want to smoke and eat,” Nassiff said. “Now they’ll go off campus to be able to do that.”

Political science sophomore Aaron Quiroz said he is against the smoking ban.

“People are stressed out from finals,” he said. “And smoking is an outlet to relieve stress.”

Computer science freshman Alex Moreno isn’t a smoker but said he doesn’t like what the ban is doing.

“It seems like the school is trying to look more proactive,” he said. “The school hasn’t enforced the 50-foot rule outside of buildings, what makes this any different?”

Kinesiology sophomore David Laneave said he smokes sparingly but feels the rule that smokers must remain in their vehicles to smoke is unfair.

“I’d rather not smoke than smoke in my car with the windows up,” he said. “That affects me more.”

Microbiology sophomore Garret Blankenship is asthmatic and said the ban will be good for his health.

“People don’t follow the 50-foot rule, and I have to hold my breath going into buildings,” he said. “But I would have been OK with them going to a parking lot.”

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