SUNY smoking ban goes too far

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June 23, 2012

SUNY smoking ban goes too far

Anonymous Daily Star The Daily Star Sat Jun 23, 2012, 03:25 AM EDT

If the state Legislature approves a proposal by the State University of New York Board of Trustees, all SUNY campuses will be smoke-free starting late next year.

The resolution, passed last week by the trustees, would ban the use of tobacco on grounds and facilities and in vehicles owned, leased or controlled by SUNY.

Smoking is now banned on campuses in indoor areas, including residence halls, buildings and school vehicles.

We know most people _ especially nonsmokers _ don't enjoy having to pass through a cloud of cigarette smoke to get into a building. But we feel the SUNY trustees' plan goes too far.

Chris MacCracken, a food service contractor at the State University College at Oneonta, told The Daily Star he doesn't smoke so, "it won't bother me." But with a 20-foot setback from buildings for people who want to smoke already in place, "it doesn't seem necessary."

If people want to continue to smoke in a restricted area, "it should be OK," he said.

We agree.

This proposal puts an unfair burden on smokers. Students wouldn't be able to smoke between classes _ or at any point during the day _ if they stay on campus. A 15-minute break won't likely be enough for a food-service worker to get off campus to have a cigarette.

Our campuses are home to thousands of students and hundreds of faculty and staff, and this proposal pushes those people off campus to do something that is no doubt unhealthy but is perfectly legal.

Although it's early in the discussion, SUNY Oneonta spokesman Hal Legg said, "We're already talking about programming to educate students about any change in smoking policy, a campus-wide smoking-cessation campaign to help those who want to quit, and working with our Employee Assistance Program to see what other resources are available to support those who smoke."

That is where the trustees' efforts should be placed: Encourage folks to quit smoking, rather than ban it outright.

Follow the model of the State University College of Technology at Delhi. Since spring, the college has had nine gazebos that smokers are encouraged to use.

Restrict smokers to certain outdoor areas on campus. Give them covered and open areas.

If smoking is banned, we believe many smokers will just flout the rules and continue to smoke, since enforcement will be difficult if not impossible. If there are designated areas, smokers will be more likely to use those areas.

We fully support efforts to limit second-hand-smoke exposure, and we encourage everyone to take advantage of any available resource to quit smoking.

But a blanket ban is just too much.