Smoking Ban on Campus, Canada College

Starting today cigarette smokers at Cañada College will only be allowed to light up in parking lots. The old policy allowed students, faculty and staff to smoke Esse 20 feet from campus buildings. But students complained to college administrators about having to pass through a group of smokers, especially in front of Pony Espresso, according to Interior Design Program Coordinator Nancy Wolford, co-chair of a task force that examined the college's smoking policy.

"We are hoping that people will not have to walk through a cloud of smoke," Wolford said. 

The smoking policy had been discussed for the past year. On Sept. 2 the College Planning Council formed a Smoking Task Force made up of two members of the Safety Committee, two from the Associated Students of Cañada College, one representative from the College Planning Council, and five representatives from the campus at large.

The task force distributed an online survey, which received 651 responses. Thirty eight percent of respondents said they didn't want smoking on campus, including the parking lots; 28 percent sided with smoking limited to parking lots and 39 percent voted for smoking in designated areas.

"The survey showed that a clear majority—60 percent—felt smoking and tobacco products should not be allowed on campus," said college President Tom Mohr, in a prepared statement.

The Planning Council revised the policy at its Nov. 4 meeting. Smoking is allowed in all parking lots except for the visitor lot 4.

The college notified students by email and posters around campus.

Smoker Rita Rodriguez, a computer lab assistant, said the college doesn't have a lot of smokers but some of them abused the privilege by tossing cigarette butts on the ground and smoking near buildings.

"This is really happening because people have abused the privilege," Rodriguez said.

Now that she'll have to hike up to the parking lot to light up, she said her smoking breaks will take 15 minutes, about twice as long as before. "It's going to be a bit of an inconvenience," Rodriguez said.

Student Oscar Vega said the new policy will be good for people with health problems who are sensitive to cigarette smoke, like his father. Vega said he was often exposed to second-hand smoke while at school.

"I would come home and my dad would say 'are you smoking?' because my clothes would smell," he said.

Student Zack Wenzell said some tobacco users weren't considerate about smoking near non-smokers and the new policy should alleviate that problem. "That will help them to learn where to smoke have some decency for others," Wenzell said.

People caught smoking on campus will be warned, said Robert Hood, director of marketing and public relations.

Wolford said the college is still exploring what kind of consequences there will be for people who continuously smoke on campus.