Smoking policy hit and miss

One month after a University task force approved a new, on-campus smoking policy, students are still lighting up.\nBut while the cigarette butts on the sidewalks haven't left, some say the number of smokers outside the entrances to campus buildings has decreased since the policy was issued.\nIU Student Association President Casey Cox, a member of the task force, said he has already noticed a drop in the number of people who smoke near campus buildings. Cox added that the one-month grace period has allowed students a chance to get more accustomed to the new policy.\n"In time I think the new policy will become as normal as the 'no smoking' signs inside the buildings on campus," Cox said. "People will grow used to the idea that they are not allowed to smoke right outside the doorways."\nLast month IU-Bloomington Chancellor Sharon Brehm agreed to amend the 1993 policy by prohibiting smoking within 30 feet of all campus buildings. Previously, smoking was only banned inside University-owned buildings and vehicles. \nSophomore Matt Martin said while he is still not quite used to the new policy, he tries to pay attention to where he smokes. He said he's also been more alert to the number of students who continue to smoke near campus buildings.\n"I've noticed an improvement from last year," Martin said. "There are definitely fewer people smoking right outside the buildings."\nHowever, not everyone has noticed much of an improvement.\nFreshman Kevin Friedrich said he has noticed an increasing problem with littering since the new policy was implemented. Because most of the ashtrays previously located outside the entrances to buildings have been removed, he said smokers are flicking their cigarette butts onto the ground.\nFriedrich also said the new policy has only tried to make smoking more of an inconvenience by forcing smokers to go out of their way to have a cigarette. He added that he hasn't seen many students give the new policy any attention.\n"Everyday I see people standing right outside (Ballantine Hall) with cigarettes lit," Friedrich said. "I don't know what they plan to do, but if they want people to start following the new rules, they need to do something. Maybe they should give out tickets."\nConcerning any future plans for enforcing the smoking policy, Brehm said she hopes smokers will comply with the new rules voluntarily. \nHowever, she said the task force might be forced to step back and consider other alternatives for enforcement. \nMartin suggested that more students might become more aware of the smoking policy if the task force placed more warnings around campus in addition to the stickers on building entrances. \nBut in the long run, he said that he just hopes the University can find a resolution without issuing tickets.\n"Larger signs in different places might help get the point across," he said. "I just hope they don't start handing out tickets."\n-- Contact Senior writer Colin Kearns at cmkearns@indiana.edu