The Argument Essay: The Use Of Tobacco-Free College Students

In 1964, a surgeon general report declared the negative effects of smoking tobacco. According to Laura Talbott-Forbes, previous chairwoman of the health association's Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Coalition, since that report tobacco use has become "socially less acceptable among people of all ages, especially college students.” In the early 2000s smoke-free policies began being enacted on college campuses

(Steinberg, 2011). As of January 2, 2017, there were 1,757 smoke-free campuses, of which 1,468 were fully tobacco-free, according to the National Tobacco-Free College Campus Initiative ("List of Smoke-free Campuses – Tobacco-Free College Campus Initiative", 2017). Kansas State University is neither a fully tobacco-free nor a smoke-free campus.

THE CURRENT POLICY

According to the Kansas State University Policies and Procedures Manual,

“Smoking is a public health and fire hazard. Locations where smoking is allowed shall be restricted in order to: (A) prevent infringements upon others and (B) create and maintain an environment that is in the best interests of the safety, health, and well being of all the users of university property ("General Safety Policies", 2017).”

After the passing of a Bill by the student senate in 2014 smoking areas were designated throughout campus by both the SGA and Faculty Senate ("Minutes of the K-State Classified

Senate", 2014).

HOW DOES K-STATE MEASURE UP
When compared to policies held by the other universities in the Big 12 athletic conference, K-State is different than the other schools. All nine school in the conference, not including K-State have a smoke-free policy implemented. The policies prohibit smoking throughout the entire campus. All buildings that are academic, administrative, athletic and residence are included in the policies, the policies are enforced in all vehicles that are owned by the universities. There are designated smoking areas scattered throughout their campuses and they are 20-25 feet away from the main entrance of all buildings. The earliest of the policies was implemented in 2008 with the most recent in 2014, and renovations to the bills in 2016. K-State is the only school that has a relaxed policy against smoking in the entire big 12 league.

STEPS TOWARD CHANGE
In December of 2015 in a letter to the student body published in The Collegian, Student Body President, Andy Hurtig, and Vice President, Joe Tinker, said they were “aiming to make K-State a completely tobacco-free campus.” The Student Government Association conducted a survey in 2016 in regards to the policy. Of the 744 participants only 84 participants knew the restrictions of the current policy.
(Initial_Report-2.pdf)

STUDENTS VOICE THEIR OPINIONS
Students at Kansas State University share mixed opinions on the issue of tobacco on campus. Last spring, students were invited to discuss the topic of a tobacco ban in the K-State Student Union Ballroom. The tobacco ban involved a $25,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment that would go toward creating designated smoking areas on the outskirts of campus as well as providing other helpful resources to smokers.
Some students felt that the ban would not fully resolve the tobacco issue on campus. Justin Manford, a student in economics, told the K-State Collegian he didn’t agree with the designated smoking areas, as it seems ostracizing. “If you put them on the outskirts, people are going to go there to smoke, but they won’t be happy about it,” he said. Other students thought the ban was unnecessary, and felt the need to emphasize a change in attitude and respect for nonsmokers instead. They discussed the issues of people smoking on their way to class with large groups of other students walking close by and the effects of secondhand smoke to students that have asthma or other breathing conditions that cannot tolerate polluted air. They also mentioned the cultural issues with the ban. “The international students, if they’re not used to designated smoking areas, if they don’t understand what it means, I feel like that could be one of the problems,” Andrea Hopkins, senior in industrial engineering and SGA secretary, told the Collegian. Despite their concerns with tobacco use on campus, most students concluded that the ban could potentially create a lot of social and legal issues, and believed that other actions could be taken first before the implementing the ban right away.

RESOLUTION 15/16/61
The Kansas State University Student Governing Association (SGA) voted on a resolution in support of a campus-wide tobacco ban on Thursday, Feb.

19, 2016. Due to controversy surrounding the results of the first vote, a second vote was held and there was a 24-24 tie. Kurt Lockwood, speaker of the senate, broke the tie by voting in favor of the ban. The resolution states that “The Kansas State University Student Governing Association supports a change in the official campus smoking policy to no longer allow smoking, use of electronic cigarettes or use of any form of tobacco on the Kansas State University Manhattan

Campus.”

EFFECTS OF THE DECISION
Though the resolution passed, the decision to enact the change fell upon the president of the university. At the time of the resolutions passing, Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz did not change the university’s policy. Schulz left his office the following March to become president of another university, and the resolution has idle since. The talk of another Student Government Association action to change the policy still lingers in the air, as does the cloud of smoke above the designated areas.