From Autzen to EMU, UO to go tobacco-free in 2012
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EUGENE, Ore. - Starting in fall 2012, smoking will be banned on all University of Oregon property - including areas used by tailgaters outside Duck football games at Autzen Stadium.
Under the new smoke-free campus policy, smokers will literally have to leave campus to smoke a cigarette. The exact boundaries of the ban - and any penalties for violating the ban - have not yet been determined.
"With tighter tobacco control policy, that more people do quit and less people start, and that's an advantage to everybody," said Paula Staight with the UO Health Center, "And we know the majority of people do want to quit."
Students and staff will have free access to gum and patches to help quit. Will it work?
"I don't think it helps much honestly, because anybody who smokes will just walk off campus," said freshman Chris Richter.
Junior Wes Crosswhite smokes five to 10 cigarettes a day. A campus rule isn't going to make him give it up.
"I don't want to right away," he said, "so it's not fair to me. It will really suck, because U of O is a big campus. I'll have to smoke 15 minutes that way or 10 minutes that way before I can go to class. And in between classes I won't get any smoking time, either."
That means the hustle and bustle of campus will be smoke-free.
"I feel great about that," said Jojoe Nujoy, a UO grad student. "It's just really annoying when the smoke is blowing in your face."
"I don't mind if people are doing it in designated areas," said freshman Kim Ames, "but when i'm walking, I don't want to smell it."
Another assault on someone's rights. What is in your wallet? Smoking is a legal activity in Oregon. Taxes are collected on this legal activity. You have the right to stay away from smoking areas. You have the right to avoid looking at smokers if the vision of such annoys you. If you stay a certain distance from smoking areas, I am almost certain that our atmosphere has the ability to disburse the smoke enough so that it is not harmful to non smokers. My point, smoking is legal, so they go around the people and legislature to create an "administrative" rule that allows for a fine on a legal activity. Does this sound anything like cicumventing the will of the people and the constitution. Why would anyone vote for anyone that wants to take your rights away. You say well I don't smoke, well neither do I but I don't have any desire to step on someone's rights. What are they going to take next. Have you asked yourself that. Maybe it will be illegal to possess or have any kind of paper on a college campus, if you don't have some electronic device you are just out of luck. You already can't wear deodorant in some places because someone else can't stand the smell of your brand, or their immune system is so weak it gives them an allergic reaction. The list goes on and on and on. What is next?