More colleges adopt smoking bans for dorms
News from pennlive.com
Snuffing smoking is becoming a college trend.
Eight Pennsylvania colleges, including Franklin & Marshall College, the University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University of Pennsylvania, have banned smoking in residential housing, according to the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation. More than 40 colleges nationally have banned smoking on their campuses.
Mary Dubroff, a spokeswoman at F&M, said that the campus discourages smoking and teaches wellness. Tall, black cigarette receptacles sit near many campus buildings to capture the smoke, rather than letting it disperse, Dubroff said.
But some students, such as F&M sophomore Shabab Manzoor, are against the ban.
"The policy is really frigid," Manzoor said. "At the end of the day, it's my choice to smoke or not."
Penn State York senior George Kapterian, a nonsmoker, said he's for the smoking ban at colleges because "it's better for everyone." But he said that he can see both sides of the issue.
"I don't believe students should suffer because of the smokers. But it's not fair to tell smokers what to do and what not to do, either," he said.
Penn State York has designated smoking areas near a few buildings, but there is no smoking in front of any of the building entrances, said Bill Vangreen, director of safety and security. Vangreen said he supports smoking bans to help decrease secondhand smoke.
Kutztown University spokesman Philip Breeze said that a ban would "avoid having one person's habit affect someone else's health." Smoking is prohibited in Kutztown's buildings, but students are allowed to smoke around campus.
Dinesh Asnani, a Penn State Harrisburg senior and nonsmoker, said it's a good idea to have designated smoking areas on campus because that can force smokers to try to quit.
"Smoking is an expensive and unhealthy habit," he said. "If we make it an inconvenience for them, maybe they'll think more about where and when to smoke so they can realize that it's not a good habit."
Penn State Harrisburg prohibits smoking in its buildings, at building entrances and in university vehicles, but designated smoking areas are being considered, said Donald Holtzman, senior director of student life and enrollment services.
"Counseling services for students or faculty who want to quit the habit are also offered," Hevner said. "We all know the dangers of smoking, so limiting it is a good idea."
At Lebanon Valley College, smokers have to be at least 20 feet from campus buildings to puff away, spokeswoman Lauren Cusick said.
"Not smoking tends to make everyone a little healthier and happier," said Elwood Brandt, an LVC resident assistant and junior. A ban "motivates smokers to quit, and I wouldn't mind if it happened here, too," he said.
Marin Bendoritis, a Penn State Harrisburg freshman in the public policy program, believes that a smoking ban on campus would be unfair but supports the idea of designated smoking areas. She considers herself to be a social smoker.
"I would definitely disobey a complete smoking ban policy and try to fight it because then we have nowhere to go for a few quick puffs between classes," she said.
Like Bendoritis, freshman Joseph McAndrew, studying advertising and public relations at Penn State Harrisburg, said he wouldn't obey a smoking ban because it violates his freedom of choice.
At Elizabethtown College, there are no designated smoking areas or restrictions to smoking outdoors, spokeswoman Mary Dolheimer said. But "smokers usually are courteous enough to nonsmokers" when they smoke, she said.
Not many students complain openly about smokers, college officials said.
"Students only complain when smokers stand right in front of building entrances, but even then they are considerate enough to move out of the way," said Roger Serr, acting vice president for student affairs at Shippensburg University.
Harrisburg Area Community College's building and grounds committee is considering the issue of smoking on campus, said Patrick Early, executive director of public relations.
"Many times, students don't put out their cigarettes, and the materials stay on the ground for a very long time, so it becomes a littering issue," Early said.
Snuffing smoking is becoming a college trend.
Eight Pennsylvania colleges, including Franklin & Marshall College, the University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University of Pennsylvania, have banned smoking in residential housing, according to the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation. More than 40 colleges nationally have banned smoking on their campuses.
Mary Dubroff, a spokeswoman at F&M, said that the campus discourages smoking and teaches wellness. Tall, black cigarette receptacles sit near many campus buildings to capture the smoke, rather than letting it disperse, Dubroff said.
But some students, such as F&M sophomore Shabab Manzoor, are against the ban.
"The policy is really frigid," Manzoor said. "At the end of the day, it's my choice to smoke or not."
Penn State York senior George Kapterian, a nonsmoker, said he's for the smoking ban at colleges because "it's better for everyone." But he said that he can see both sides of the issue.
"I don't believe students should suffer because of the smokers. But it's not fair to tell smokers what to do and what not to do, either," he said.
Penn State York has designated smoking areas near a few buildings, but there is no smoking in front of any of the building entrances, said Bill Vangreen, director of safety and security. Vangreen said he supports smoking bans to help decrease secondhand smoke.
Kutztown University spokesman Philip Breeze said that a ban would "avoid having one person's habit affect someone else's health." Smoking is prohibited in Kutztown's buildings, but students are allowed to smoke around campus.
Dinesh Asnani, a Penn State Harrisburg senior and nonsmoker, said it's a good idea to have designated smoking areas on campus because that can force smokers to try to quit.
"Smoking is an expensive and unhealthy habit," he said. "If we make it an inconvenience for them, maybe they'll think more about where and when to smoke so they can realize that it's not a good habit."
Penn State Harrisburg prohibits smoking in its buildings, at building entrances and in university vehicles, but designated smoking areas are being considered, said Donald Holtzman, senior director of student life and enrollment services.
"Counseling services for students or faculty who want to quit the habit are also offered," Hevner said. "We all know the dangers of smoking, so limiting it is a good idea."
At Lebanon Valley College, smokers have to be at least 20 feet from campus buildings to puff away, spokeswoman Lauren Cusick said.
"Not smoking tends to make everyone a little healthier and happier," said Elwood Brandt, an LVC resident assistant and junior. A ban "motivates smokers to quit, and I wouldn't mind if it happened here, too," he said.
Marin Bendoritis, a Penn State Harrisburg freshman in the public policy program, believes that a smoking ban on campus would be unfair but supports the idea of designated smoking areas. She considers herself to be a social smoker.
"I would definitely disobey a complete smoking ban policy and try to fight it because then we have nowhere to go for a few quick puffs between classes," she said.
Like Bendoritis, freshman Joseph McAndrew, studying advertising and public relations at Penn State Harrisburg, said he wouldn't obey a smoking ban because it violates his freedom of choice.
At Elizabethtown College, there are no designated smoking areas or restrictions to smoking outdoors, spokeswoman Mary Dolheimer said. But "smokers usually are courteous enough to nonsmokers" when they smoke, she said.
Not many students complain openly about smokers, college officials said.
"Students only complain when smokers stand right in front of building entrances, but even then they are considerate enough to move out of the way," said Roger Serr, acting vice president for student affairs at Shippensburg University.
Harrisburg Area Community College's building and grounds committee is considering the issue of smoking on campus, said Patrick Early, executive director of public relations.
"Many times, students don't put out their cigarettes, and the materials stay on the ground for a very long time, so it becomes a littering issue," Early said.
posted by Quit Smoking Man at
5:03 AM
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