Care for a smoke? Tobacco-free plan will snuff out cigarettes, other products on Nov. 19
By Katie Perkowski
kperkowski@kykernel.com
On Nov. 19 students will be able to smoke in the middle of Rose Street, but not the middle of campus. Any students walking down South Limestone to White Hall Classroom Building may find themselves walking in a bike lane instead of a sidewalk in order to smoke. On Nov. 19, UK will be a tobacco-free campus, meaning no student, faculty or staff member may smoke or use any tobacco products on UK property.
The tobacco ban prohibits all forms of tobacco, including hookah, cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco, Ellen Hahn, co-chair of the Tobacco-Free Campus Task Force, said. The boundary will be the contiguous campus and there will be no designated smoking areas. The policy will extend to all UK owned, operated and leased properties in Fayette County, Hahn said.
Megan Abell, an undecided freshman, said she smokes on campus about two to three times a day.
“I do think it’s not fair at all because if you’re a smoker there should at least be smoking areas or something,†Abell said. “Some people are really addicted and will need a cigarette between classes so it could affect their learning abilities.â€
If a student is seen using tobacco on campus, he or she will be asked in a “kind, firm way†to stop using the product and to leave the campus to do so. If a student clearly does not know of the ban or forgot about it, then they will not be punished, Hahn said.
“We want to create a culture of compliance,†Hahn said. “And given that very few people use tobacco products on our campus, I think that’s very doable.â€
Hahn said if a student is found to be persistently violating the ban, their name will be forwarded to the Dean of Students and the Student Code of Conduct will be enforced.
If a student is found responsible for a violation of the Code, then the Dean of Students Office will determine a sanction to be imposed, according to the Student Code of Conduct.
Charlie Lockhart, a music performance senior, said he thinks some people will obey the rule but others will not.
“I think that I’ll still find a way to smoke,†Lockhart said. “It will not encourage me to quit in any way whatsoever.â€
The sanctions that could be imposed are disciplinary warning, disciplinary reprimand, disciplinary probation, social suspension, disciplinary suspension, disciplinary expulsion and other sanctions, which include ending a residence hall contract and restriction of access to certain parts of campus, according to the Code of Conduct.
“I think some people will still smoke and others will follow the rules but I think that there are a certain amount of people that will continue to break the rule,†Lockhart said.
Hahn said the Task Force is not considering implementing fines at this time.
The Task Force will conduct trainings on campus for groups of students and employees about the policy and how to talk with people about it, Hahn said.
Hahn said a UK committee conducted a random sample survey at the end of last semester. With a random sample of about 1,400 and 338 respondents, 64 percent of the students who responded said they felt positive about the tobacco-free policy.
Hahn said the reason the committee sent it to such a small sample of the campus population is because the committee had a very short period to conduct the survey before students went home for summer.
“I think there is a plan to do some more surveying,†Hahn said.
There will be black signs posted around UK’s campus announcing the university’s tobacco-free policy, Hahn said. The signs will have a universal no smoking sign in the middle and will be posted all through campus.
“It’s definitely going to encourage me to quit because I’ve been wanting to quit and I guess this is just the right opportunity to do it,†Abell said.
Despite the looming deadline of Nov. 19, Hahn believes the committee will be prepared to enforce the ban.
“Our task force has been meeting ever since January and we meet just about every two weeks and committees are also meeting so there have been a lot of decisions made and a lot of plans made,†Hahn said. “We feel good that by the 19th we will be ready.â€
Discarded cigarette butts lie in an ash tray provided for students outside of Whitehall Classroom Building. Photo by Allie Garza | Staff
By Katie Perkowski
On Nov. 19 students will be able to smoke in the middle of Rose Street, but not the middle of campus. Any students walking down South Limestone to White Hall Classroom Building may find themselves walking in a bike lane instead of a sidewalk in order to smoke. On Nov. 19, UK will be a tobacco-free campus, meaning no student, faculty or staff member may smoke or use any tobacco products on UK property.
The tobacco ban prohibits all forms of tobacco, including hookah, cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco, Ellen Hahn, co-chair of the Tobacco-Free Campus Task Force, said. The boundary will be the contiguous campus and there will be no designated smoking areas. The policy will extend to all UK owned, operated and leased properties in Fayette County, Hahn said.
Megan Abell, an undecided freshman, said she smokes on campus about two to three times a day.
“I do think it’s not fair at all because if you’re a smoker there should at least be smoking areas or something,” Abell said. “Some people are really addicted and will need a cigarette between classes so it could affect their learning abilities.”
If a student is seen using tobacco on campus, he or she will be asked in a “kind, firm way” to stop using the product and to leave the campus to do so. If a student clearly does not know of the ban or forgot about it, then they will not be punished, Hahn said.
“We want to create a culture of compliance,” Hahn said. “And given that very few people use tobacco products on our campus, I think that’s very doable.”
Hahn said if a student is found to be persistently violating the ban, their name will be forwarded to the Dean of Students and the Student Code of Conduct will be enforced.
If a student is found responsible for a violation of the Code, then the Dean of Students Office will determine a sanction to be imposed, according to the Student Code of Conduct.
Charlie Lockhart, a music performance senior, said he thinks some people will obey the rule but others will not.
“I think that I”ll still find a way to smoke,” Lockhart said. “It will not encourage me to quit in any way whatsoever.”
The sanctions that could be imposed are disciplinary warning, disciplinary reprimand, disciplinary probation, social suspension, disciplinary suspension, disciplinary expulsion and other sanctions, which include ending a residence hall contract and restriction of access to certain parts of campus, according to the Code of Conduct.
“I think some people will still smoke and others will follow the rules but I think that there are a certain amount of people that will continue to break the rule,” Lockhart said.
Hahn said the Task Force is not considering implementing fines at this time.
The Task Force will conduct trainings on campus for groups of students and employees about the policy and how to talk with people about it, Hahn said.
Hahn said a UK committee conducted a random sample survey at the end of last semester. With a random sample of about 1,400 and 338 respondents, 64 percent of the students who responded said they felt positive about the tobacco-free policy.
Hahn said the reason the committee sent it to such a small sample of the campus population is because the committee had a very short period to conduct the survey before students went home for summer.
“I think there is a plan to do some more surveying,” Hahn said.
There will be black signs posted around UK’s campus announcing the university’s tobacco-free policy, Hahn said. The signs will have a universal no smoking sign in the middle and will be posted all through campus.
“It’s definitely going to encourage me to quit because I’ve been wanting to quit and I guess this is just the right opportunity to do it,” Abell said.
Despite the looming deadline of Nov. 19, Hahn believes the committee will be prepared to enforce the ban.
“Our task force has been meeting ever since January and we meet just about every two weeks and committees are also meeting so there have been a lot of decisions made and a lot of plans made,” Hahn said. “We feel good that by the 19th we will be ready.”
“‘We want to create a culture of compliance,’ Hahn said”
This line says it all. The ban will have almost no benefits to the UK community besides stroking the egos of a couple insecure, self-righteous bullies. Ellen Hahn, I’m assuming you never eat chocolate, drink soda, or ride in an automobile? I should come to your house and ban those activities on YOUR property, for your own good of course.
The campus smoking ban is a ridiculous farce. Their logic:
1. Punish people who support one of our state’s largest legitimate industries.
2. Increase costs to the students, mainly salaries of enforcement personnel and black signs
3. Create a culture of “Compliance”. I mean seriously, WTF does that mean?
4. Punish a very large minority of our state’s citizens, Kentucky’s smoking rate is 33%
Nothing good can come from this ban. A bare minimum of a compromise would be designated smoking areas. If there were such areas, there would be minimal controversy surrounding this ridiculous policy
Ms Perkowski,
May we consider you to be the self appointed CZAR of the UK Tobacco-free plan?
Now then, “We want to create a culture of compliance,â€
If a student is seen using tobacco on campus, he or she will be asked in a “kind, firm way†to stop using the product and to leave the campus to do so. If a student clearly does not know of the ban or forgot about it, then they will not be punished, Hahn said.
The implication? Otherwise they will be punished.
Students today, such as yourselves, would have not historical sense as to just what such attitudes, actions and feeling of self-fulfillment implies. After all, it going on all around you, without objections.
Frightening, Ms Perkowski. Simply frightening!
Matt i hate to tell you but the ban only affects UK not the entire state, so the 33% is a lot smaller number.
also there is a hiring freeze on main campus and no pay raises for years so no salaries will increase
Where do you get these concepts?
I think there should be a smoking zone so we don’t have people sneaking smokes and burning down the campus.
However smoking bans always seem to bring out the right wing and libertarian-right crowd. Smoking is an inherently intrusive action because it affects others without their consent. Save for sheer pig-pigheadedness there is no reason to oppose bans on smoking in public areas that everyone has an expectation of access.
College is a place that is intended to accommodate all students and to do so some choices will be closed off. And for those who would object on grounds of liberty, well you have the freedom of exit to seek an out an arrangement more to your liking (if your desire to smoke outweighs your desire to learn).
What about all of the other UK off campus sites (e.g. Extension offices, 4-H offices, experiment stations, etc.)? Will they have to go tobacco-less too? And what about all the thousands of pounds of tobacco grown on UK experiment stations? Hmmmmm? Guess UK still wants tobacco (they make a lot of money from it), but N.I.M.B.Y. Is an alcohol ban next? If not, why not? Aren’t both harmful to one’s health, and to society?
Hooray for UK taking a step in the right direction by banning smoking on campus. Not only do we get a smoke free envirionment, but now we don’t have to look at all the butts that you smokers thoughtlessly throw on the ground after you’re finished.
I do not understand what gives Hahn and anyone else the right to do what she is doing. She gives false statements or statements without merit & strength or promotes exaggerations to better her agenda. She states things as if the US and Univ of KY support a gestapo society…”believe what we believe & do it our way or you can leave and/or get punished”.
She preaches about clean air. UK has all these cranes, dump trucks, and crazy traffic. UK has leaf blowers & lawn mowers blowing around bird feces. UK supports the consumption of junk food witnessed by contract with Coke and/or Pepsi and/or other junk food providers. It is not health that is the issue…it is money and greed and power.
If it is not about money, greed, and power, then I would hope that Hahn stands by her principles by no driving any type of auto, growing and eating her own organic food, making her own clothing, and never eating even a minute amount of junk food.
I see Hahn as someone who is encouraging non-democratic methods and it is wrong. I am not focusing on the smoking issue. It is the small group of people making decisions for the whole that is the problem. Our troops fight for our rights to make voting a reality amongst “the people” and she (and the rest of the small group) are taking it away from us.
I want to simply not care, but it is hard as long as Hahn acts like some sort of power hungry dictator. I laughed when I saw the words about “not implementing fines at this time”. Puh-lease!!!
How does one find someone who is not afraid to push back politically!!!???!!!
@mark
I could have sworn there already was an alcohol ban.
I’m a smoker who is Glad that I graduated in May!
Join the facebook group “Stop the University of Kentucky Smoking Ban”
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129802979463
This isn’t about the health effects of smoking. This is about rights and personal freedom. We can stand up for them or allow the authoritarian tactics of Hahn to go unopposed
“Rights issue doesn’t hold any water for me,†Hahn said. “If you don’t want to quit, that’s fine. But we have an ethical obligation to help them.â€
-Ellen Hahn- http://kykernel.com/2009/02/09/uk%E2%80%88to-go-tobacco-free-in-november/
Assuming Ellen Hahn’s logic that the university has an ethical obligation to help students stop smoking, for the good of their own health, then we can also conclude that the University of Kentucky has an ethical obligation to..
* Help overweight students lose weight- which means the university should not only provide healthy food options on campus, but also completely eliminate ALL unhealthy foods currently served at university dining service locations- serving unhealthy foods is not following the universitie’s ethical obligation to assist students in maintaining a healthy weight
* Do their part in providing clean, healthy air for students to breathe- thus, in addition to banning tobacco products, cars and all motor vehicles would be banned from driving on campus INCLUDING university cops- bicycle cops only on campus. The difference in pollution emissions between a Dodge Charger and a bicycle is substantial enough to affect a student’s health, which is the ethical responsibility of the university.
* Provide clean, healthy living conditions on campus. A complete overhaul and cleaning of all dorms would need to take place- anyone who has lived in a dorm recently can attest to the unhealthy and dirty conditions students live in. According to Ellen Hahn, it is the university’s ethical obligation to help students improve their health, and the university would be neglecting this duty by failing to provide clean and healthy living conditions for students living on campus.
IF one believes that, as Ellen Hahn states, the university has “an ethical obligation to help them (quit smoking)”, then one can assume the university has an ethical obligation to provide the healthiest campus possible for students, and we can expect to see the changes outlined above in the near future.
OR, one can choose to see through the health smokescreen the university has set up, a distraction and excuse used by governments since government was invented to steal rights from citizens, and demand to know the truth- why is the university so insistent on taking away a RIGHT of ALL adults to use tobacco products?
You decide
This campus wide ban, while for a noble long term purpose, is a PR and legal nightmare in the making for UK.
Just the retoric of the article should not sit well with anyone that cares about their rights! Compliance….what??? Is this lady working for the university or is she MY MOTHER!!! I reserve the right to live my life free and pursue my happiness, Hahn has the right to dissagree, thats it. We pay doctors and nurses to fix our health problems, not run our lives! Students dont put up with this, it’s simply UN-American!!!!
Just go to Chipotle, eat two steak burritos, walk the 5 minutes back to the administration building, and lay destruction upon their mahogany encased toilets. I’ve done it many times….I’m just going to stop flushing.
Smoking bans always seem to bring out the right wing and libertarian-right crowd.
Smoking is an inherently intrusive action because it affects others without their consent. Save for sheer pig-pigheadedness there is no reason to oppose bans on smoking in public areas that everyone has an expectation of access.
Having experienced a non-smoking ban from public buildings in Frankfort (all public buildings & business,etc.), it is definitely a healthier working and living environment with the ban. The enforcement of the ban for businesses is not rigourouly enforced. There is suppose to be a 100 foot perimeter from the front door of the building’s entrance to the smokers’ area where smokers are not allowed to smoke. Smokers ignore this rule regularly by smoking near the front entrance of businesses and smoke inside the restrooms of businesses. I have never heard nor seen any enforcement of this rule by local law enforcement. Fear of reprisal keeps people from reporting violations of the law by certain employers that violate the law. So, good luck UK in your enoforcement of a policy that has very little enforcement in Frankfort, Kentucky.
Someone in comment mentioned,
“Smoking bans always seem to bring out the right wing and libertarian-right crowd. Smoking is an inherently intrusive action because it affects others without their consent. Save for sheer pig-pigheadedness there is no reason to oppose bans on smoking in public areas that everyone has an expectation of access.”
It is not about right wing and whatever you dream up. It is about dictatorship, lack of democratic choice, and anything else you (I am sure) hold dear should “your” right to do something gets violated.
There is no clean air any more, people!!!
It is not about invading others rights with second hand smoke especially if you drive a car. If you do, then YOU are taking away “my right” to breathe clean air by driving. UK is taking away my right to clean air by building so many buildings at the same time. If you eat junk food and if UK serves junk food, then both of YOU are taking away my right of small insurance premiums due to lack of consideration to healthy food consumption. The list can go on.
It all comes down to money, power, and greed; the human factor is going away and “that” is the saddest part of all. If it is about health and being human, then people would “HELP” one another and quit being so pushy, bossy, insulting, degrading, segregating, and anything else that defines a “bully” or “dictator”.
Thisanti tobacco ban even in open fields and huge parking lots is creepy, in my opinion. Where is common sense?