A new revision to Mississippi State University’s smoking policy will take effect beginning Dec. 1.
The revision states that private offices may no longer be considered legal smoking areas on campus and that all students, faculty and staff must be at a reasonable distance outside an enclosed area if they wish to smoke.
The main purpose of the revised ordinance is to prevent secondhand smoke from traveling through ventilation systems, windows and building entrances.
According to the new policy, a reasonable distance away from enclosed areas on campus is defined as 25 feet or more.
While some smokers and non-smokers are questioning the revisions, others are advocating the change.
Junior art major Joseph Arthur said he believes the policy will be difficult to enforce and that standing a certain distance from enclosed areas will not change matters for the better. “If someone is standing in a doorway holding a door open and smoking, I could see that as a problem. But most smokers on campus put out their cigarettes right before they walk in buildings.”
“Any little bit of smoke that might trail in will eventually diffuse because of the size of the buildings,” he said. “As a smoker, I certainly respect people who choose not to. I really don’t mind having to stand certain distances away from buildings, but if the enforcers of these revisions keep pushing this issue further, it would really anger a lot of people, hurt school morale and make people upset with the university itself.”
Gavin Hill, a junior marketing major, is a non-smoker but has concerns about the policy.
“Although I’m glad that there are restrictions regarding public smoking on campus, I think that asking smokers to smoke 25 feet away from a building is a bit ridiculous. As long as the smoke is outdoors, it should not harshly affect those around it.”
The new revision is a big relief for some.
“I love the new law,” said junior communications major Catharine Hammett. “I hate smoking in general and hate having to walk through people that smoke.”
Speculation about some pushing for the campus to eradicate smoking on campus altogether has not been unusual.
“I think it would make the campus look better because cigarette butts wouldn’t be everywhere,” Hammett said.
The new policy also states that tobacco use of any kind will not be permitted in campus vehicles and that tobacco products cannot be sold on campus or advertised through any campus medium.