Haverford considers smoking ban

Julianne Herts Guest Writer

Haverford College may soon prohibit smoking on its campus, a move which would make it the latest in a number of colleges to adopt a smoke-free environment.

Newly inaugurated Haverford President Stephen Emerson proposed the plan earlier this month. Emerson, a hematologist and biochemist, cited the medical risks associated with smoking along with harmful secondhand smoke as reasons to implement the measure.

According to an Oct. 1 report by the American Non-Smokers Rights Association, more than 70 colleges in the United States have completely smoke-free campuses, while over 90 allow smoking only in small, designated outdoor areas.

Director of Health Education Michelle Soucy said that it would be beneficial for Vassar to join the growing number of smoke-free campuses. “Of course, as the Director of Health Education I would support this,” said Soucy, “and I think the majority of our students would too. Survey results indicate that 70 percent of Vassar students don’t smoke.”

The Clean Indoor Air Act prohibits smoking indoors at all New York state colleges and universities, public and private. Vassar’s current policy prohibits smoking in residence halls, though those living in the Town Houses and Terrace Apartments may smoke if all the residents in a given apartment agree to allow it. The only outdoor smoking regulations on campus prohibit smoking within 25 feet of building entrances.

Proponents of campus-wide smoking bans hope that these policies will both prevent non-smokers from encountering second-hand smoke and encourage smokers to quit. However, some question the campus’s ability to implement a ban on smoking.

“I think that if they were to try to do something like that at Vassar, there would be a huge uproar about it,” said Victoria Gonzalez ’09. “There are lots and lots of smokers on the Vassar campus.”

“I don’t know that it’s fair to make people leave [campus],” said Sadie Burzan ’11. “It’s not illegal to smoke.”

“People would smoke anyway. People smoke pot, and that’s illegal,” said Christy Barrow ’11. “[Smoking] is an addiction; you can’t just get rid
of it that easily. It might deter some people from just the sheer fact of laziness if they don’t want to bother to hide or go off campus, but the hard core smoker’s wouldn’t stop.”

If the policy were to change, Vassar Student Association (VSA) President Sam Charner ’08 assured that it would not do so suddenly. “I think a lot of discussion would be necessary before the [Vassar] campus could implement this kind of policy,” said Charner.

The decision to go smoke-free at Haverford is still being debated, and specific policies are being modified. According to Haverford and Bryn Mawr’s Bi-Co News, the college is now likely to prohibit smoking in all campus buildings, though smoking may be allowed in certain outdoor areas.

The Vassar administration would face its own set of challenges were it to implement any sort of strict outdoor smoking policy. “It would be pretty rough for the administration to establish a no-smoking policy on campus,” said Gonzalez, noting the abundance of secluded spots on campus smokers to which could retreat.

Were an effective ban to be implemented Gonzalez noted the possible benefit to incoming freshman. Gonzalez herself smoked frequently as a freshman. “When I came [to Vassar] I was smoking about a pack a day, if not more, and as I’ve gained clarity I’ve realized that it’s not something I need,” Gonzalez. “I think regulations on smoking might help incoming freshmen deal with the peer pressure to smoke. It might stop the spread of smoking.”

Soucy, too, noted that any non-smoker might be influenced by a smoke-free campus. “I think any attempt to limit the use of cigarettes would help those who don’t already smoke refrain from taking up the habit. I am not sure if those who already smoke would stop.”