Jennifer Sans/Contributing Writer
Back in January 2011, the University began its smoke-free policy. The tobacco-free regulation prohibited the use of any smoking or tobacco product on University grounds.
According to tobacco-free.fiu.edu, the first time a student is caught smoking on campus, the consequence is a slap on the wrist with a notice of violation. The second time a student is caught, he or she has to go to two consultations with University Health Services.
However, since the ban started, no person has been referred for a consultation.
“No one has ever been referred to us by campus police to come in for a dependence consultation,” Sarah Kenneally, senior health educator at University Health Services said. “If someone actually requests a consultation, it’s a staff member, not a student.”
A third violation states that students will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution for appropriate discipline. The “appropriate discipline” is not detailed on the web page or in the FIU student handbook.
When FIU’s Police Department was contacted, the information on reports of tobacco use wasn’t given but the crime logs on the FIU Police website have no reports of any tobacco use for the fall 2012 and spring 2013 semesters. There are some reports of marijuana use in the crime logs.
“I know someone who was caught smoking last year in the Biscayne Bay Campus parking lot, but campus police just gave him a warning,” said Abbas Parpai, sophomore biology major.
According to Kenneally, tobacco use is a declining issue for college-aged students, therefore students are not coming in for any dependence consultations.
Although tobacco use in college-aged students is not common, there are students who are not bothered by it even if they do not smoke.
“I don’t mind it. I think they should have a place to smoke. I don’t think it’s right for them not to have a designated smoking area,” said Parpai.
There are numerous places where students are seen smoking daily at both campuses including the Green Library at Modesto A. Maidique Campus and the Hubert Library at Biscayne Bay Campus.
“I know someone who was caught smoking by the Glenn Hubert library, but they were just given a warning. It didn’t go any further than that. People at the south campus walk around smoking and no one tells them anything,” said Vanessa Frais, freshman biology major.
“I see people smoking at BBC all the time right next to the signs telling us to supposedly ‘breathe easy’. I’ve never seen anyone asked to stop,” said Tamicha Roger, an undecided junior.
Parpai and Frais both agree that designated smoking areas would be a better alternative to being a smoke-free campus.
“If there were designated smoking areas, I would at least be able to avoid those specific areas instead of having a cloud of smoke blown in my face when I’m walking by the library,” said Parpai.
“I understand that people don’t like it, so designated smoking areas would be beneficial to the students who need to smoke while on campus,” said Frais.
The problem with designated smoking areas is that it would defeat the purpose of having a smoke-free campus. It is impossible to have a smoke-free campus that still has places for people to smoke.
Even if there were designated smoking areas at MMC or BBC, according to the World Health Organization, “second-hand smoke can spread from a smoking area to a non-smoking area, even if the doors between the two areas are closed.”
This leaves no chance for students to be able to smoke. It is as though this policy gives students and staff who don’t smoke preferential treatment over those who do smoke, but the law actually says that smokers aren’t entitled to protection against discrimination under these circumstances.
“I don’t think someone should be able to tell me I can’t do something. There are even smoking areas at Disney World, so I don’t see the big deal about smoking on campus,” said Frais.
news@fiusm.com
