Another Ban Failed: CT Fairfield University

Fairfield Not to Ignite Smoking Ban

4/12/07
By: Sebastian Sarmiento-Saher

Several universities and colleges nationwide have either partially restricted or are moving toward banning smoking on campus. But, according to Dean of Students Thomas Pellegrino, Fairfield’s current smoking policy will not be altered.

“My area of involvement is largely over residence halls, and I think the most common issue I hear from students is in dealing with second hand smoke coming in from outside, particularly if the wind is blowing in a particular direction,” said Pellegrino. “Residence Life staff do a great job in letting students know of appropriate areas to go to.”

“Students also appropriately take it upon themselves to raise their concerns with their friends and classmates and resolve the issues in a mutually considerate and courteous manner,” he said.

Fairfield smokers will not need to worry too much about their rights since the University policy on smoking currently stands untouched, despite the changes seen in several other campuses across the nation. According to the University handbook, smoking is restricted in any and all buildings or facilities, while also expecting smokers to “be a reasonable distance from the buildings.”

The University of Iowa recently placed a “blanket smoking ban” to the areas of campus that hold its hospitals, in addition to adding another smoke-free block of campus.

“We have moved in this direction because all of our colleges have some sort of activity in the hospitals,” said James Merchant, UI’s head of its Health Science Policy Council. “Part of this is a smoking-cessation program.”

Syracuse University is also looking to enact a complete ban on smoking throughout its campus.

Though many doubt that a smoking ban will occur, other colleges such as George Washington University and Penn State University have taken advantage of designating “smoking areas” near places where road sweepers normally pass through and are out of range of the non-smokers.

The Undergraduate Life Committee of Princeton University, noted its “respect for individual rights to smoke but found this right did not outweigh the rights of others to be free of second-hand smoke.”