On Oct. 1 of this year, smoking anywhere, including inside your vehicle, will be prohibited on campus. We have the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia, who voted on March 19 to make all public university campuses smoke-free, to thank for this public service. While this act is noble, in light of the general public’s knowledge of the harmful (and even deadly) consequences of smoking and secondhand smoke, it is half-baked. There are several things to consider before serving us this ban.
Georgia State has an unorthodox campus geography. Our branches stretch far and wide across the metropolis of Atlanta. So, there simply are no visible boundaries for a total ban to be enforced. Where is the red tape placed when local eateries and business are nestled in between campus buildings? Where are the borders drawn when our sidewalks run throughout the city like veins, connecting our campus to the larger being that is Atlanta? This complex geography must be considered.
The culture of our city should be considered as well. Our lives are easily weaved in with the culture of a bustling city and our lungs filled with its unforgiving fog. Atlanta is one of 17 populous cities without a total ban on smoking. And while Senate Bill 90 (GA Smoke-free Air Act) was passed in 2005 prohibiting smoking in almost all public places, the bohemian spirit of the city’s nightlife and its rebellious roots make it difficult to adopt a total ban.
In a column I composed on Underground Atlanta earlier in the semester, I noted the lucrative rum-running that helped make Atlanta the city it is today. Smoking (cigarettes and hookah) has a fixed presence in our nightlife and bar scene. Trying to enforce a smoking ban on our campus would be like trying to enforce a dress code in an all-nude strip club.
Perhaps the biggest issue that has gone unaddressed is the ban’s lack of a solution. The ban only seems to nurture the concerns of non-smokers, leaving smokers with no other choice than to quit cold turkey. This can be very difficult—if not impossible.
Smoking can become an addiction. Yes, you may find yourself in holy matrimony with those little sticks of escape. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that “nicotine dependence is the most common form of chemical dependence in the United States.” They go on to say that “research suggests that nicotine is as addictive as heroin, cocaine, or alcohol.” Students may experience withdrawal symptoms including: irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, restlessness and increased appetite. And yet, students are expected to flip the light switch off and find their own way through the dark with the CDC also reporting that “quitting tobacco use is difficult and may require multiple attempts.” If the origins of the ban’s mission lie in health then surely this is concerning.
Thankfully, there are a few ways to resolve this problem. Authorities should continue to provide students with designated smoking zones. If anything, more smoking zones should be available. The 20-25 ft rule of no smoking near campus entrances is unrealistic considering our landscape. Considering the university’s expansion quest, appointing a few more smoking zones wouldn’t hurt.
I don’t feel smokers should be isolated from the general public. However, due to proven consequences of secondhand smoke, I do feel that designated areas should be located in locations where students do not gather in large crowds (i.e. the plaza). This is a win-win for everyone.
The choice to smoke should not be left up to someone else. Students who wish to continue should be allowed to do so. We want students to be healthier, but we didn’t take cheeseburgers off the menu. We simply added healthier options. The same concept of adding instead of subtracting can work here. Smoking zones also resolves the concern of secondhand smoke. Students who make it a point to avoid secondhand smoke should feel pretty comfortable with this.
Educational seminars on how to quit smoking should be pushed. Group counseling, pamphlets or some other form of educational aid should be encouraged. Again, smoking can become an addiction. So, a student can easily become a recovering “user.” While we’ve got Google for this, the University should have some responsibility in aiding those individuals who are trying to abide by their rules. They should not assume that every student is aware of the addiction to smoking or equipped to handle it.
Whether the smoking ban is necessary or not, it should be objective and should consider EVERYONE it will affect.
