MU Went Smoke Free Prohibiting Even Electronic Cigarettes, Reactions Vary
When something is prohibited by the authority, it would normally get mixed reactions and responses from the concerned individuals. One perfect example is the smoke-free campus policy recently implemented in MU or University of Missouri. Perhaps, what made this prohibition even more eyebrow raising is because it also includes electronic cigarettes in the ban.
Smoke-free MU
Last July 1, this smoke-free policy was implemented. Nowhere inside the campus is anyone allowed to smoke. The policy also includes prohibiting anyone to start on using electronic cigarettes in MU grounds.
Electronic cigarettes are devices that get energy or power from a battery in order to activate the atomizer, which turns liquid solution into vapor. They contain no tobacco so the smoke-like mist is actually water vapor from the solution made up of water, flavoring, liquid solution and propylene glycol.
Two days after the policy began implementation, Tiffany Bowman, the coordinator of Human Resource Center tried to check up on how everyone was catching up with the new campus-wide policy. According to her, when the policy was not yet enforced, she used to see people inside the campus; but she was not able to spot anyone with cigarette or electronic cigarette when she drove around.
Students and perhaps some staff were confused as to why electronic cigarettes are also banned when they do not emit any harmful smoke. According to Bowman, this inclusion of the devices in the policy serves two purposes.
One reason is that these devices are emitting vapors that are still under scrutiny by the health experts. No studies could yet approve and certify that these vapors are indeed safe. They might be posing risks to those exposed to them that remain to be discovered by science.
Another purpose of including the devices in the policy is because allowing people to vape could undermine the smoking policy itself. Anyone vaping can be easily mistaken as smoking and it would cause confusion to anyone. Therefore, banning them will help in easier implementation and enforcement of the policy.
Before The Policy
Before this intensified campus policy was initiated, smokers (students, staff and faculty) were allowed to smoke and vape in designated smoking areas like atop a parking structure or in an outdoor space where there are receptacles to which they can throw away their wastes from smoking. When the policy was implemented, these receptacles were also removed.
In addition, three days before the policy was in effect, the university’s Sustainability Office had hosted the project entitled ‘Big Butt Recycling‘. In this project, the campus grounds were cleared of cigarette wastes. There were 20 volunteers who participated and they all spent the whole Friday morning on collecting the wastes. All in all, they have collected 12 pounds of cigarette litter like butts, tobacco pouches and filters. Their collected garbage will be recycled by the TerraCycle Company.
Positive And Negative Reactions
There are MU workers who are thinking why the school officials did not think that designated smoking areas are not yet fair conciliation. One of these workers is Yvonne Simmons, working as office support associate in the school’s Campus Dining Services. She has been an on/off smoker for 20 years and she thinks that the policy is not fair for her. She is one of those people who visit the designated smoking area past the Student Center. Bowman might have not spotted anyone smoking or using electronic cigarettes when she patrolled two days after the policy’s implementation. Yet, this does not mean that the new rule has already eliminated smokers completely. As hard as smoking habit can be eliminated, people will certainly find a way to still smoke inside the campus, despite the rule.
Another reaction was posted on the Maneater’s FaceBook account. The Maneater is the school’s publication. On the social media site, one junior student Steven Twidwell commented that he is not opposing the ban; it is just that he does not believe this will be totally implemented.
Meanwhile, Ashley Miles, who is soon to enter college as a freshman expresses her support for the regulation. She said she was excited about it and it makes her feel at ease of not needing to put up with smokers when she starts to attend her classes.
Offered Smoking Cessation Programs
MU officials are not entirely cruel, opposing what others might be thinking. In fact, there are smoking cessation programs offered for smoker employees and students. They can simply sign up for ‘Healthy for Life Wellness Program. Registered members can get free phone counseling, e-mail support and web access. They can also receive approved nicotine replacement therapies like lozenges, patches and gums. Medications will be covered in the university’s Prescription Drug Plan and will be prescribed by doctors.
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