Nov 12, 2009 7:37 pm US/Eastern
Towson University Adopts Smoking Ban
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) ―
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Towson University is becoming Maryland's first four-year college to ban smoking on campus.
Towson University students should leave their cigarettes at home. This after the school announced it would ban smoking anywhere on campus.
Derek Valcourt explains why the change was made and what it means for students.
By now, we all know smoking isn't allowed inside most buildings, but at Towson, students can no longer come outside the buildings to smoke either. If they want to light up, they have to leave campus entirely.
That's a big change from the current policy that allows smoking outside if it's at least 30 feet away from the doors of any building. But non-smokers say that's exactly the problem.
"Outside of every building, there's always like a swarm of people smoking cigarettes, and you have to walk through it to get to every single class. It's pretty annoying," said a student.
"It's disgusting walking through clouds of smoke when you're going to class," said another student.
"There's a lot of creep or encroaching in inclement weather that 30 feet becomes 20 feet becomes 10 feet becomes inside the doorway becomes inside the overhang," said Dr. Deb Moriarty, Towson University.
So the school carefully reviewed the policy and made a change. Starting next year, there's no smoking anywhere on campus -- not the parking lots, not the sidewalks, nowhere.
It's no surprise that smokers hate the policy change.
"I don't think it's fair," said Marc Goldstein.
"That sucks. We need our cigarettes. We are grown people. This isn't high school," said Ian Goode.
"How we going to walk from here to a mile and a half to smoke a cigarette," asked Mary Lynch.
School officials say they don't think the policy will hurt enrollment.
"We hope that by informing folks ahead of time, if this is a big issue for folks, they would take that into consideration when deciding what the best fit for them is institutionally," said Moriarty.
"I
t motivates people to stop smoking. You are on a college campus. You should be more educated to know that it's dangerous for everybody. It's a significant change that helps everybody, and I wish it was starting sooner," said Robert Zaidman, non-smoker.
Most non-smokers love the idea, and a few smokers say forcing them to leave campus for a cigarette may help them quit.
"I think a lot of people will pretty much stop," said Lakia Evans, smoker. "Will I? Yeah, I will save me some money."
Campus police will be the ones enforcing the new smoking rules. The fine for those who get caught smoking on campus is $75.
The smoking policy changes go into effect Aug. 1 of next year.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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