McGill University has proposed an entirely smoke-free campus, but Carleton should not follow suit. As terrible for you as smoking might be, everyone should have a right to do it.
We all know that smoking causes cancer. As a non-smoker, no one likes breathing in a heavy cloud of cancerous smoke on their way to class or the library. Everyone should have clean air, but if we start to ban smoking entirely, it becomes a slippery slope to infringing on students’ freedom.
Carleton’s current smoking policy is prohibition of smoking within 10 meters of any entrance or exit, and any intake or open window for any building or residence. It came into effect in August 2008, and is a fair policy to satisfy both smokers and non-smokers.
McGill has a similar policy under the Tobacco Act of Quebec. It states “smoking is prohibited outdoors within a nine-meter radius from any door leading to a university building.”
The problem arises when smokers are not following the rules. At McGill, the McConnell-Redpath terrace is supposed to be smoke free but that does not happen on a daily basis. That is not fair to the other students who want to be on the terrace and enjoy being smoke-free. There should be major repercussions for those who do not follow the rules.
This includes the rule of smoking 10 meters from any entrance at Carleton. Security and other staff members should do their best to reinforce this rule. This does not always happen, especially in front of residence buildings, where there are frequently smokers loitering near the front doors. It is not fair for students who are using these doors to have to put up with clouds of smoke as they make their way through their day.
Recently, McGill’s associate vice-principal has mandated a working group to make a recommendation to university administration to implement a non-smoking policy across campus. This group conducted a survey asking students if they wanted a smoke-free campus.
The results found 73 per cent of undergraduate students would like a smoke-free campus, as well as 77 per cent of post-graduate students, 76 per cent of university academic staff, and 74 per cent of university administrative staff.
These are high numbers, and well over half of the student and administrative body. But the question is, what about the smokers? Where are they supposed to go when they want to smoke?
The McGill campus is very large, and one would have to take time to go off of the property, have their smoke, and return when they are done. This is very time-consuming for a university student or staff member, especially if they are smoking multiple times a day.
I am not advocating for smoking, nor am I promoting having a pack of cigarettes a day. I am only voicing concern for the rights that individuals have. Whether it is a bad habit or not, every person deserves the right to smoke if they wish.
Carleton has to strike a balance between supporting students’ needs and refraining from infringing on their rights. In terms of smoking policies, the best way to do this is to ensure that the current regulations are being followed to the best of their abilities.
