Communication, Cooperation: The Real Solution to Campus Smoking

The UW-La Crosse community is considering several smoking policy changes, including making UW-L smoke-free, designating smoking zones, or increasing the twenty-five-foot smoking distance from buildings.  Before retooling the policy, however, let us consider the following consequences.

Banning smoking from UW-L would inconveniently force smokers to leave campus before lighting a cigarette or pipe and increase cigarette litter in areas bordering campus.  Additionally, increasing the mandatory smoking distance from buildings would make it more difficult to enforce the rule.  For example, unless an officer were equipped with a fifty-foot tape measure, a smoker's distance would have to be judged by sight.  While establishing smoking zones seems to be the best compromise, it would require the university to build defined, clearly bordered structures, in order for the zones to be realistically enforceable.

Rather than changing the smoking policy, we need to become proactive about our current policy.  From staff reporter Allen Knappenberger's article, "Lightin' Up," published in The Racquet on November 3rd, 2010, it seems that communication is key.  If a situation arises, for example, in which a student is smoking too close to your residence hall's entrance, simply speak to the smoker and politely remind him or her that smoke must remain at least twenty-five feet from the building.  Be courteous, but let the person who is smoking know that his or her actions are bothering you.  If you are the smoker, be respectful of the rule and the preferences of non-smokers, and be mindful of others whom your smoke may be affecting.  If the issue persists, talk to your RA or Hall Director.

Communication at this level is the best way to strengthen our current policy. Through active cooperation between smokers and non-smokers, our campus can remain a welcome environment for the preferences of each group.