On a UK men’s basketball game day, the usual chants of students were altered in response to the tobacco-ban — “C-I-G-S, CIGS, CIGS, CIGS!â€
Under clouds of smoke, more than 100 smokers and non-smokers gathered to protest the campus-wide tobacco ban UK implemented Thursday by continuously using tobacco products in front of Patterson Office Tower and on the Student Center patio.
The ban prohibits the use of cigarettes, pipes, cigars and chewing tobacco, and extends to all properties owned by the university in Fayette County.
“What are they going to do? Tell me that I can’t smoke?†said Robbie Moore, a social work junior and one of the protesters. “I’m not going to stand idly by while the university tells me that I can’t do something because it makes them look better on a national scale.â€
Students were joined by more than just their peers, as faculty and staff members protested the ban as well.
“I believe in freedom, I believe in individual rights,†said Aaron Yellowitz, a UK economics professor and non-smoker. “I think that a policy like this is too paternalistic.â€
Several guest speakers applauded the crowd for their support, including Ken Moellman, Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Kentucky, and Lance Wheeler, a campaign worker for U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul.
“Today we are all smokers,†Wheeler said as he lit a cigarette. “This is the smoke of liberty my friends, enjoy it.â€
UK Police surrounded the Student Center patio and in front of POT. Assistant Vice President for Public Safety and co-chair of the Tobacco-Free Campus Task Force Anthany Beatty said the police were made aware of the protests beforehand, but no specific orders were given.
Wednesday evening, UK Physical Plant workers collected smoking posts and old trashcans from around UK’s campus. Bob Wiseman, vice president for facilities management, said the total dollar amount for 15 new trashcans and 30 trashcan lids, in addition to 100 more ordered, came to $19,895.
The old concrete trashcans have been taken to the grounds compound near Commonwealth Stadium to be decided whether they will be sold or recycled or both.
John Nunnelley, an English sophomore and a nonsmoker, said he would not confront a smoker because he does not agree with the ban.
“If it’s outdoors then it’s fine,†Nunnelley said. “It’s not like you are trapped next to a smoker outside.â€
Political science sophomore Zach Schiff said he understands the ban but said UK’s reasoning was not only for a healthy environment.
“I understand UK is trying to implement the ban, but I think they are too worried about the school’s image (rather) than the students’ interest,†Schiff said.
History junior and former Student Government presidential candidate Tyler Owen said making the choice to use tobacco products should be the student’s choice alone.
“They’re trying to make it about our health and that’s our choice,†Owen said. “ … I’m upset with people who smoke and walk through crowds. That’s not polite. But I can sit here by myself and not bother anybody.â€
Staff writer Laura Clark contributed to this report.
Survey of 1282 Employees from the evening of Nov. 12 — 17
Method: A list was drawn by the Office of Institutional Research of all 2071 full-time faculty [excluding the researchers] and a random sample of 3,000 staff for initial recruitment. An initial email and follow-up reminder email was sent to the employees on the recruitment list with a request to participate in a web-based survey. The web-based survey was anonymous, and utilized Qualtrics analytic technology. No incentive for participation was given to participants. The surveys took about 5-10 minutes to complete. Data were screened for duplicates and missing data.
1282 employee respondents
— 38.4% of respondents were faculty, 57.6% were staff
— 71.8% of employees were on the Lexington campus, 14.2% were on Lexington campus, Medical center, and the remainder was employed in off-campus
·    87.9% of employees report being “very†or “somewhat†familiar with the new rules and regulations regarding the upcoming tobacco-free campus policy at UK
— less than 5% of employees are “very†unfamiliar with the tobacco-free campus policy
·    75.7% of employees feel that the policy will be either “very†or “somewhat†successful in reducing people’s exposure to secondhand smoke on campus
·    51.6% of employees felt that the upcoming tobacco-free policy would be “somewhat successful†or “very successful†with encouraging people at the University of Kentucky to quit using tobacco
156 employee cigarette smokers responded to the survey
— 57.4% of employee smokers smoke 10 or more cigarettes per day (1/2 pack a day)
— The average (mean) number of cigarettes that smokers reported smoking in the last 30 days is 425, with a median of 337.
— Within an 8 hr workday on campus, smokers reported smoking an average (mean) of 5.26 cigarettes, with a median of 4.
— 26.3% report being “very†or “somewhat†likely to quit smoking after the November 19, 2009 policy change
·    When smoking employees were asked whether they planned to quit smoking, 63.4% reported thinking about quitting
— 51.9% of smokers reported thinking about quitting someday but not by November 19, 2009
— 11.5% planned to quit on or before November 19, 2009.
·    25% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that the tobacco-free policy will “decrease the number of cigarettes or other tobacco products that I use during the day,†another 17.9% were not sure.
Survey of 667 Undergraduate Students from Sept. 10 – Nov. 13
Method: A random list of 3000 undergraduate students was drawn from all registered UK students for Fall 2008, not scheduled to graduate during May 2010. 335 participants were recruited with the researchers emailing eligible participants from this list. An additional oversample of 200 students were drawn from the University of Kentucky Department of Communication’s Research Participant Pool and an additional 132 tobacco users were drawn from the University of Kentucky Department of Communication’s Research Participant Pool and the recruitment of tobacco users on campus. Eligible participants were required to be between the ages of 18 and 26, willing to participate in a two-part research study (with a 2nd survey in the spring), and willing to come to a computer lab to participate in a web-based survey. An initial email and follow-up reminder emails were sent to the students for recruitment. Students were compensated $10 for participating in the survey session and/or were given Communication Department research study credit. The surveys took about 10-20 minutes to complete.
667 respondents
— 53% female, 47% male
— 89% had a tobacco-free campus in high school
— 32% of respondents were freshman, 32% were sophomores, 26% were juniors, 10% were seniors
·    74% of students report being “very†or “somewhat†familiar with the rules and regulations regarding the upcoming tobacco-free campus policy at UK (note: the survey for the students was completed in the approximately two month window preceding the employee surveys)
— less than 9% of students report being “very unfamiliar†with the tobacco-free campus policy
·    61% of students feel that the policy will be either “somewhat successful†or “very successful†in reducing people’s exposure to secondhand smoke on campus
·    36% of students felt that the upcoming tobacco-free policy would be “somewhat successful†or “very successful†with encouraging people at the University of Kentucky to quit using tobacco
— 262 students responded that they had used a cigarette in the past 30 days, and 194 of these tobacco users smoked 1 cigarette or more a day
Overall students were light smokers.
In the last 30 days:
— 54.9% of student smokers smoke 2 or more cigarettes per day, the remainder smoke less than or equal to 1 cigarette per day
— 4% of students smokers smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day (1/2 pack a day)
— 9% of student smokers report being “very†or “somewhat†likely to quit smoking after the November 19, 2009 policy change
— 28% of student smokers reported that they “agree†or “strongly agree†that the tobacco-free campus policy will increase their “motivation to quit  using tobacco productsâ€
— 34.5% of student smokers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that the tobacco-free policy will “decrease the number of cigarettes or other  tobacco products that I use during the dayâ€
·    When smoking students were asked whether they planned to quit smoking, 68.4% reported thinking about quitting in the future
— 41.4% of student smokers reported thinking about quitting in the next 6 months
— 27.1% of student smokers planned to quit in the next 30 days
Information provided by assistant professor of communications Elisia Cohen.
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I have one thing to say – We understand that the smoking ban is what is good for all of us but when did we lose the right to chose what we feel is good for us ? Why is it that we pay tuition to attend a school that deprives us the right to chose what we feel is best for us . They say college is the time where you do the things you were too young to do before college and too old to do after college to find yourself and calling – If you are deprived of your rights to chose your “experimentation” , vices, addictions, methods of relaxation and pleasures – then you are not at the University of Kentucky to mold yourself and explore and be free something that a native KY said all men are equal – i dont think he said they shouldnt smoke!
I believe the ban in the public places is reasonable – indoors again reasonable – medical campus reasonable– but coming out of an exam – and not being able to sit in a designated area and smoke but instead walk at least half a mile is uncalled for — I pay over 12000 to the university to have myself stripped of my right to do what i wish on my own time??
They say freedom stops when you enter someone’s personal space — well, UK’s policy has not only entered my space but has deprived me of my right to have one !
Designated areas should be set – and public entrances — and such banned — but not deprived on grounds that is definitely breaking the boundaries of personal space and rights – I would never thought I would say this – but I would prefer to have a dress code honoring professors as a “rule” instead of the non-smoking cause I never remember nominating UK as my health nanny and authorized them to deprive me of personal rights when i enrolled at the university!!
I don’t feel the ban is right even though I am a non-smoker. I hate smoke, I hate to smell like smoke, and I hate to be around smoke. However, there is no smoking inside the buildings, in resturants or other public places and I feel that is fair. If someone wants to smoke when they are walking to class, after lunch, taking a break, whatever…that is none of my buisness or the University’s! I am a student here, and I know we don’t make decesions about university affairs, which I agree with. However, smoking is not a university decesion, it is a personal decesion. If the faculty, staff, and students chose to smoke, that is their freedom. Wonder how much money they will allow to run a bus to “smoking areas” to let these people smoke? They should! If its raining, snowing or whatever…why should they have to suffer? Like I said, I hate smoke, which is why I CHOOSE NOT TO! What someone else does is their concern. I think they should quit, but that is my opinion, and I am not their boss. Good luck with this and with quitting if you desire!
I find it hilarious that the libertarians are complaining. If this were a matter of employees being forced to stop smoking in the comany parking lot then they would just say, “they own the property and property rights trump all others, so tough luck”.
The ban is not a smoking ban only – if it were then UK’s “right” to ban it would have some, but very little, weight since one person’s cigarette smoke does reach out to another person. UK banned dipping, snuff pouches, snus, and other smokeless tobacco (not that they’ll be able to enforce these either). This though makes the ban more about DaddyUK determining your healthy behavior and UK-liberal-green-healthnut image.
Part of the reason for some of these things is because there are a large number of liberal and non-Kentucky people in the UK administration. So a ban like this is what you get with people who think Kentucky is a bunch of fat white smoking racists that need fixed.
This is a bad law based on lies and linked to the money grabbers. I agree that this is is not a smoking ban only. UK banned dipping, snuff pouches, snus, and other smokeless tobacco. This though makes the ban more about DaddyUK determining your healthy behavior and UK-liberal-green-healthnut image.
I think it’s funny how some of you decide to politically polarize this issue and blame the liberals. This isn’t about political parties, this is about UK enforcing a ban that is paternalistic and that restricts our freedoms. Blame UK and Mama Hahn, not your liberal enemy assumptions. I bet that Daddy Todd and Mama Hahn are both conservatives, but why does that matter?
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported the protest. We will be having another one in the near future.
In the mean time it is important to continue to smoke and use tobacco products on campus- do not cave in and quit because Todd and Hahn think they know what’s best for you. Use tobacco EVERYDAY on campus- if you are a nonsmoker like me, stand up for the rights of those who choose to use tobacco on campus.
We cannot quit now
This story was posted today on the website of an International Smoker’s Web Community – The Smoker’s Club.
To the Students who organized and participated in your protest action – we say “Here, Here!” and “Good Work!” We are glad to see that the spirit of personal freedom is alive and well in Kentucky!
Please understand that no institution has the right to infringe upon the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of “Free Assembly.” The “tobacco control” lobby that has received millions in (tax exempt!) grants from private corporations who seek to sell their UNTAXED nicotine replacement products will give you no quarter. This is a scheme of “social engineering” … and freedom of choice, sovereign property rights, and safe alternatives such as ventilation in INDOOR spaces will be damned by these fascist “Nanny Staters.”
As a club member and long time smoker I offer this advice – PROPERLY DISPOSE of your spent smoking materials! No one wants to see your lovely campus (or your home town) littered with spent butts… and you will lose the support of even those who might be sympathetic to your cause, over this simple littering issue. Further, JOIN US at the smokersclubinternational.com – to learn more about the politics of tobacco, and why YOUR State is happy to revive both prohibition and segregation in revoking your personal right to choose. (Here’s a hint – “Follow the Money.”)
Yours in Solidarity!
Your gathering was…cute, at best. Now all the custodians getting a shameful wage have to come pick up your butts. Very respectful.
I am a casual smoker myself, but I find this a waste of my intellectual energies to “protest” about when there is a neverending war going on and major double-digit percentage hikes in tuition transpiring throughout the United States.
For all of those commenting that UK is going the way off all other universities for rankings sake, actually, they are going the way of most every organization in the United States. Gone out lately? Ever noticed you can’t smoke in bars and restaurants anymore?
I could go on…I recommend watching Harlan County USA or any documentary on Vietnam protests to find out what it really means to stand up for what you believe in. Again, it was cute. Thanks for the half hour entertainment yesterday.
The survey used to tally employee and staff smoking trends is completely bunk. You were able to take the survey as many times as you wanted, thus a single passionate individual (either for or against the ban) could have skewed the data. Please recant the findings of this survey, it doesn’t present even a shade of truth. No inference performed on this data is sound. It’s an amazing example of irresponsible statistics.
also…
I’m amazed that no one has mentioned the 25,000 dollars spent on (crappy, cheap looking) signage and another 20,000 on new trashcans. Does the university really think that having ashtray-less trashcans will be a major factor in peoples smoking decisions? What happened to the budget crisis?
This is a web archive of the late Investigative reporter Joe Vialls famous website.
[b]Smoking Helps Protect Against Lung Cancer.[/b]
And here are some of the mice who helped to prove it!
http://web.archive.org/web/20050214135605/http://vialls.net/transpositions/smoking.html
[i]Every year, thousands of medical doctors and other members of the �Anti-Smoking Inquisition� spend billions of dollars perpetuating what has unquestionably become the most misleading though successful social engineering scam in history. With the encouragement of most western governments, these Orwellian lobbyists pursue smokers with a fanatical zeal that completely overshadows the ridiculous American alcohol prohibition debacle, which started in 1919 and lasted until 1933.[/i]
Janice Arnett says:
November 20, 2009 at 9:24 am
(1) Your gathering was…cute, at best. (2) Now all the custodians getting a shameful wage have to come pick up your butts. (3) Very respectful.
I am a casual smoker myself, but (4) I find this a waste of my intellectual energies to “protest†about when there is a (5) neverending war going on and (6) major double-digit percentage hikes in tuition transpiring throughout the United States.
For all of those commenting that UK is going the way off all other universities for rankings sake, actually, they are going the way of most every organization in the United States. (7)Gone out lately? (8)Ever noticed you can’t smoke in bars and restaurants anymore?
I could go on…(9)I recommend watching Harlan County USA or any documentary on Vietnam protests to find out what it really means to stand up for what you believe in. Again, it was cute. (10)Thanks for the half hour entertainment yesterday.
(1) It was very fashionable.
(2) Shameful wage, they get what the Commonwealth of Kentucky pays, and it is far above minimum.
(3) It was respectful and peaceful and legal, thank you very much.
(4) What Intellectual energies? Discontent is the first phase in the development of an individual and a nation.
(5) The War On Terror Will Never End. Your nation has been at war since 1775 google it.
(6) There is a theory of supply and demand which determines price. I hate it that I have to subsidize the failure of higher education with my hard earned tax dollars for a naive plebe like you.
(7) Yes I have. How about You? Have you got laid lately, seems you head is up you own behind.
(8) Ever notice bars and restaurants let you smoke outside their doors and outdoor seating areas?
(9) Real Protests cause damage to private and government property and people get killed for what they truly believe in, we can all see you believe in nothing. Ever notice how real protests are labeled as riots? Remember the LA Riots?
(10) Once again you are welcome Ms. Manners.
I recommend watching Harlan County USA or any documentary on Vietnam protests to find out what it really means to stand up for what you believe in. Again, it was cute. Thanks for the half hour entertainment yesterday.
The Intellectually Empowered Faculty, Staff and Students of UK are glad they could entertain your acorn sized ganglion suspended behind the vacuum of your eyes Ms. Arnett. You say you are a smoker, then you should support us. We decided a peaceful protest along the lines of Ghandi, Rosa Parks, Rev. Jackson and Dr. Martin Luther King. I suggest watching documentaries on all these individuals as to find out what it really means to stand up for what you believe in. Can we count on you to stand up for us in the future, or will you continue to post tripe in your weak effort to support the Administration which continues to raise your tuition?
Paternalistic ban on smoking? Though I think smokers should be able to smoke outside away from people that value their life, I find the lack of support for this ban a little surprising. But on the other hand, supporters are getting what we want so why comment. Plus, it most likely won’t even get printed.
As far as the college being paternalistic in banning smoking, it seems quite necessary when looking at the slideshow of pictures from the “protest.” Putting cigarettes in statues mouths, filling cracks with cigarette butts, and smoking 5 cigarettes at a time; WOW, quite the stance for a group of people calling this ban “paternal”. Perhaps UK should have been more selective when choosing to admit such sophomoric students and perhaps there should be MORE paternalistic rules.
But you are right; you should be allowed to smoke, and to die, for that matter. However, I would doubt that you would be willing to die without seeing a doctor for the illnesses associated with your “habit”. And I doubt you be willing to go to work on days you feel sick or are coughing up a lung from your habit. But, I double dare you: Don’t have the surgery on that growth in your mouth, and resist the oxygen tank that you now need because your lungs no long function to the degree mine do. Go for it.
So it is with a stone cold heart that says, if you want to smoke do it, but don’t bash non-smokers that pay for the ever increasing hospital bills that YOU accumulate because of your addiction. And don’t bash administrations and an organization for being paternalistic in creating an environment that accommodates people that value their health not to mention making an effort to educate them. After all, this is a college.
does anyone else not find it particularly sad the largest protest at UK in almost a decade involves the right to smoke cigarettes? but there are some gems in this thread.
so keep going.
with enough rhetorical bumbling one of you might stumble into some political discourse someone can employ towards something that matters…. like drinking on campus.
let’s get to work kentucky!
-t
urallidiots says:
November 21, 2009 at 1:15 am
does anyone else not find it particularly sad the largest protest at UK in almost a decade involves the right to smoke cigarettes? but there are some gems in this thread.
so keep going.
with enough rhetorical bumbling one of you might stumble into some political discourse someone can employ towards something that matters…. like drinking on campus.
let’s get to work kentucky!
Hey Home Boy I drink and smoke Mary Jane on Campus each and every day! Cause I am Rick Janes Bitch! Who cares what the man declares as Law? I am free to do what I want! my Lawyer Loves Me.
It is about the freedom of choice,something both smoker and non smoker alike should have in a free country. Maybe the University could be used to study the so-called claims that secondhand smoke is a danger,with the Majority of studies telling us that SHS is not a danger, why a ban?.
really? second hand smoke is a conspiratorial ploy? man. try to keep up with me here:
if smoking poses a health risk – you know – because of the smoke, then how does smoke – from the exact same source – not pose a health risk?
oh, and i was totally serious about drinking on campus. if only because having a bar on the 18th floor of POT would be totally epic….
-tt
Doesn’t the UK BOT and President have more important issues to focus on? ie figuring out a way not to raise tuition at UK by 1% under the maximum allowed by the Post-Secondary Education Committee’s outline? Or figuring out a way to recoup money in the budget shortfall? Lobbying Frankfort or Washington for more post-secondary funding?
Or maybe even cutting out frivolous spending. $5000 signs and more for trashcans. Freshman have gotten un-lost on campus for more time than I can remember without special signs point the way around.
I will never take up smoking or any tobacco products as I like the new hospital addition aesthetically from the oustide and don’t want to end up in the cancer wing, but that’s my decision. If people want to smoke/dip/chew that’s their decision.
Today, smoking and tobacco. Tomorrow, bacon. It’s bad for you too, right?
“And don’t bash administrations and an organization for being paternalistic in creating an environment that accommodates people that value their health not to mention making an effort to educate them.”
I will continue to bash a university administration that refuses to acknowledge the rights of its students and faculty.
If this was all about health why aren’t they banning fast food? Obesity is a huge problem- which, by the way, we have to foot the hospital bills for
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