Striving for a healthier tomorrow:
the MU smoking ban
by Eva Dunlap, posted April 3, 2009
It is estimated that one-third of college students are regular smokers and with MU’s numbers, that’s about 10,000 students. On Jan. 20, 2009, a new policy regarding smokers was put into effect on the University of Missouri’s campus.
After deliberation between the MU Student Association, MU Parents Association and campus officials, smoking will be prohibited on MU owned or leased property within 20 feet of building entrances, exits, windows and fresh air intake systems. There are exceptions to these prohibitions, which include areas specifically designated for smoking.
The policy was put into place with hopes for a completely smoke free campus by 2014. Reactions to the plan have been mixed.
“I think that it’s reasonable to say no smoking around campus but I don’t think its fair for the residence halls,” said Courtney Pott, an MU freshman smoker. “Freshman are required to live in them and there are freshmen smokers. There isn’t the option for living off campus for some people. So what are they supposed to do? Quitting isn’t easy.”
There is an alternative for smokers. Both students and MU employees will have the option to seek aid to quit smoking from either the Student Health Center or Atkins Wellness Program.
Students seeking help “need to call the main desk, identify that they would like help quitting smoking and any MU student can get the patches and counseling services to help them quit smoking” said Tiffany Bowman, a representative of the Student Health center. “This has been in place for over three years and will be continuing.”
MU is a strong force behind banning smoking in an order to promote healthier living and make the campus a neutral zone. Smoking cigarettes is legal by the age of 18, but it is still detrimental to one’s health. With one inhale of smoke, nicotine, an addictive chemical, flows into the lungs. The nicotine does not just affect the lungs but it is absorbed into the blood stream, eventually affecting the heart and brain. Nicotine causes the heart rate to speed up, increasing blood pressure and causing vessels to constrict.
Quitting is difficult because smokers become physically and mentally dependent on nicotine. There are health risks associated with smoking, and it has been linked to causing a number of different cancers and fatal diseases such as emphysema.
“I do feel that students will take the policy seriously,” Bowman said. “Most smokers know that smoking is dangerous to them and that second-hand smoke is also dangerous. The majority of people who smoke are rule-abiding people and once they know the policy, they will abide by it. I also believe students are supportive of policies that are designed to make them healthier and create a better learning environment.”
