IU’s cigarette policy has gone up in smoke

While I’m not a smoker, I’m certainly not bothered by those who smoke.

That statement is less true when I’m forced to walk through clouds of tobacco fumes while I’m going about my business on campus.

IU enacted a complete campus-wide ban on smoking in 2008.

That ban is now entering its sixth year of being entirely ignored by students and faculty and utterly unenforced by the University.

It is true, though, that simply enacting the ban had some positive effects.

An IU study from 2011 showed that tobacco use declined since the prohibition took effect.

Without reading the study, it’s practically impossible to tell.

Every hour of every day, in front of each academic building, students are smoking.

At least once or twice a week I get stuck walking behind someone puffing away on the sidewalk and get to wade through the persistent cloud they leave behind.

You have the right to smoke, but you don’t have the right to smoke at me.

I feel strongly that as long as the ban exists, the University should enforce it, at least for those smoking in crowded areas.

There are plenty of positive effects that could be elicited by such action.

First, and most obviously, there would be less smoke in public places.

State law already prohibits smoking within eight feet of public entrances, even if the public doesn’t seem to care much.

Second, fining violators would generate at least some revenue for a school perpetually increasing tuition rates and the cost of living on campus.

If I can get a parking ticket for leaving my car in a no-parking zone for 45 seconds, you can get a ticket for blowing smoke at everyone going in and out of a doorway.

In fact, I believe the embarrassingly large sum of money I’ve paid IU in the form of parking fines has earned me the right to traverse campus without having to breathe secondhand smoke.

Third, it would show the student body that the administration means what it says.
If the University decides on a policy affecting all of its campuses, that policy should be enforced.

If it’s not enforced, it simply shouldn’t be policy.

Finally, actually enforcing the ban would likely further reduce the number of Hoosier smokers.

We’re adults — you don’t need me to tell you cigarettes will kill you.

But if we can prevent even a few people from having to drag around an oxygen tank with them in the future, we should.

The University needs to step up.

This is an issue of principle and of public health, and to me it is significantly more important than nuisance parking tickets.

I came to IU to get an education. Not lung cancer.

­— sreddiga@indiana.edu