University smoking ban: Waste of time or a step forward?

'Anything that makes smoking harder can only be a good thing'

(AP)

Recently, the University of the West of England (UWE) proposed a smoking ban across large areas of its Frenchay campus in the hope of making a more pleasant place for students and staff. It was met with minor opposition as a petition - which was far from being grammatically watertight - surfaced on 3 December.

This petition gathered just over 120 signatures, but let’s just think here for a minute: is banning smoking around campus a step forward? Or is it just an infringement on the lives of fee-paying students?

Those fighting the ban argue that as adults “a level of autonomy should be granted” to the students, meaning they should be allowed to smoke wherever they please, so long as this conforms to the Health Act of 2006 - banning smoking indoors. They suggest it is hypocritical to ban smoking, because the university sells cigarettes and tobacco for profit across the campus - and then chooses not to allow for their consumption.

Students have further argued this accusation of hypocrisy by commenting on the students’ union events in which hundreds of students engage in binge-drinking and revelry, suggesting they should “allow us to damage our health in all areas, not just one.”

The final point is that students will now have to walk for between ten and fifteen minutes to satisfy their cravings between lectures, thus running the risk of being late back, and wasting time.

Sadly, I just can’t get behind this: anything that makes smoking harder can only be a good thing, and increasing the effort involved will obviously encourage people to cut down. Selling tobacco as an avenue for profit is not hypocritical at all and, if the university didn’t, there would only be more complaints. Also, choosing to trudge across campus to have a few quick drags on a cigarette and making oneself late for lectures is only the student’s problem - no one else’s.

The university has acted on the wishes of staff and students, many of whom are fed-up of the smell of smoke lingering around campus and drifting inside buildings. They’ve consulted staff unions and worked to create a ban that works for everyone.

UWE issued a statement on the matter which said: “As a part of UWE’s continuing commitment to providing a healthy and safe environment for all staff and students and in line with our smoke-free policy, large parts of the Frenchay Campus will be smoke-free from January 2016.”

It continued: “Smoking is already prohibited in all UWE buildings. This programme now prohibits smoking in the main external areas of the campus.” University officials worked with the SU and facilities staff to draw up the plans, and even made sure there was equal access to smoking areas for those with disabilities, showing an effective, fair policy has been made.

They also weighed-in on the E-cigarette debate, banning their use indoors, but encouraging smokers take up “vaping” and use them outside.

Undoubtedly, UWE has taken a step forward for the health and comfort of all the visitors to campus, and other universities should also move to commit to similar plans - if they haven’t already.

Twitter: @ReubenNash1