The Justices celebrate the end of session with the most expensive of beverages.
So it begins.
The campus tobacco ban took effect Tuesday. The logic behind the ban has yet to take effect.
Also missing in action is a plan to effectively enforce the ban.
Oklahoma law states that smoking within 25 feet of public buildings is illegal. How many times have you seen someone smoking exactly 25 feet from a building here on campus?
Sure, they do write tickets for it on campus, but obviously it’s not enforced enough to scare smokers out of smoking within the 25 feet. If they can’t even efficiently enforce state law, how do they plan to enforce a campus policy?
Being healthy is cool, but not at the cost of personal rights. You can’t force health on people who choose to pick up a habit they know is detrimental to their health. And that’s what this is about.
Nonsmokers who are all for this ban need to consider that if they have the right to breathe freely, they also have the right to walk where people aren’t smoking. If you pay attention to which way the wind is blowing, it’s really not difficult.
But giving smokers designated areas to smoke on campus is a nice thought. But where the “shelters” are on campus is rather impractical. It’s unrealistic for professors and other staff and faculty to have to go either off campus or all the way across campus to the designated smoking areas.
Also, we love the signs they’ve posted around campus: “Breathe easy tobacco free campus” with a snazzy OSU logo.
So instead of smoke, we’re breathing in easy? What is easy?
If they had taken the time to use correct grammar perhaps they’d be taken seriously. The signs should read: “Breathe easily; tobacco-free campus.”
Round No. 1: The smokers and proper grammar.
Your move, administration.
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I believe in this case “breathe easy” is a kind of colloquialism that is easily understood by all. Grammar is really beside the point. Frankly, breathe easy just sounds a lot better and catchier than breathe easily. Apparently, other organizations, such as the British Lung Foundation, agree, and they use the breathe easy phrase as well. It has a nice ring to it.
Another question on this topic is how, a tobacco ban, enhances a degree given by OSU. This policy is off the mission of the university and is just plain nonsense.
This is just plain nutz, why can’t people just be smoking on that CROWN7, then nobody would have to worry about smoking on campus cuz it would be LEGAL!!!
I was reading the press release when i came across the tobacco skips here website… and sure enough.. there’s a link about the “designated smoking areas” in campus..
you open that page, it’s a PDF showing a map without any legend or marker.. it has 4 street names of which only 2 are recognizable… none of the buildings are marked.. and the “smoking areas” turns out to be only one spot..
so, the question remains… does our administration want all the smokers to run about like headless chickens for hours.. trying to find a spot where they can spend five peaceful minutes with a cigarette?
But, unfortunatly, if I as a non-smoker have the right to walk away from anyone who smokes, and they can smoke anywhere within 25 feet of public buildings, theoretically I would walk away from one group of smokers into another.
Will they enforce the ban effectivel? Maybe for a little while, but eventually I think the campus will devolve back into old habits. While I am against the ban for health reasons, I think OSU and Stllwater PD have bigger fish to fry.
I mean’t FOR the ban, not against it.
You’re right that the policy does not contain anything about enforcement and sanctions. You have to find the FAQ at http://tobaccostopshere.okstate.edu/FAQ.asp
In part it says:
What do I do if I see someone smoking or using tobacco? What is considered a reportable violation? What is considered a non-reportable violation?
Administration/supervisors/employees have the responsibility to respectfully remind a tobacco user that tobacco use on campus is a violation of OSU policy. There is no intent to put employees in confrontational situations.
An observer may use OSU’s Confidential Reporting System on the Human Resources website, or http://www.ethicspoint.com, to report offenders, if a simple reminder is not sufficient.
Students may contact the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs: students.tobaccofree@okstate.edu
Faculty/Staff may contact the Office of the Vice President for Administration and Finance: fac-staff/tobaccofree@okstate.edu
How will enforcement be handled?
Administration/supervisors/employees have the responsibility to respectfully remind a tobacco user that tobacco use on campus is a violation of OSU policy. There is no intent to put employees in confrontational situations. Should an individual choose not to comply with the policy, the following processes/personnel will be called upon:
Students: Code of Conduct
Staff: Supervisor(s)
Faculty: Department Head/Dean
The tobacco policy does not supersede State law which invokes legal action should the smoking violation occur within 25 feet of a building entrance.
Who’s in charge of enforcing this policy?
Every OSU employee has a responsibility to adhere to policy and to remind others of policies.
What are the consequences if someone is caught? What about second or third offenses?
A respectful reminder may be sufficient. However, if a staff employee violates policy repeatedly, formal corrective action would be appropriate. Formal corrective action by policy has three steps:
The first reminder involves supervisor’s discussion with the employee and agreement by the employee that the policy will be followed.
A second reminder involves discussion with the employee and a written summary after the discussion.
If a third offense occurs, the employee is given a decision-making assignment in which she/he must either decide to follow OSU policy or resign. If the employee agrees to comply with policy and a subsequent offense occurs, the employee may be terminated. See Corrective Action policy (3-0720) for more detail.
Will the police come if called and what are the consequences?
For policy violations, the police have the same responsibility as employees. The police will come for violations of the law. State law prohibits smoking within 25 feet of the entrance of a state building.