Tobacco sales will be prohibited on campus and smokers will be forced at least 25 feet away from any entrance of a university building at the University of Arkansas as the result of a new policy adopted by officials last week.
Despite that policy and a Harvard University study’s claim that students exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to become smokers themselves, Boston University is not planning to change its current policy, according to Marc Robillard, director of the Office of Housing.
“We don’t want to be the smoking police,” Robillard said. “Our policy for dorm rooms remains that it’s OK as long as it’s not bothering anyone.”
Robillard doesn’t think BU will go to extremes Arkansas has enforced, citing prior local regulations.
“When the city of Boston outlawed smoking in dining halls, we constructed lounges for smokers. Both smokers and non-smokers asked for them. They’re working well so far,” he said. “We also have to be considerate of international students who come from different cultures. We don’t want to isolate them.
“In short, we don’t think [the smoking issue] is a huge deal.”
Both smoking and non-smoking students agreed BU’s current policy is beneficial to both.
“BU’s policy is cool; it has respect for both smokers and non-smokers,” said Laksman Frank, a senior in School for the Arts. “If people don’t want to come in [the George Sherman Union Backcourt], they don’t have to.”
“The designated areas work well,” said College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Sameer Lapsia, a non-smoker. “I don’t bother them, and they don’t bother me. The dorm policy also works well, except when people smoke in the hall.”
Some students also said the polices like the one adopted by Arkansas were overly harsh.
“If I were a smoker, I’d feel very suppressed,” said CAS senior Namita Joshi. “If I had this habit, should it discriminate me from staying in the building?”
However, students were divided as to whether a tougher policy would bring further benefits. Some even suggested such a policy at BU would be hypocritical.
“They sell cigarettes at [Campus Convenience stores], so why shouldn’t we smoke?” asked CAS sophomore Matthew McClellan.
“BU wouldn’t be able to sell ashtrays with their logo on them if they said no to smoking,” said SFA senior Jack Teng.
Other students didn’t think harsher rules would present much of a problem.
“I think the University of Arkansas regulations are good,” said CAS freshman Kristine Hwang. “I hate coming out of a building and being engulfed by smoke. The more you make it an obstacle, the less people will smoke.”
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