The University of Ottawa (U of O) is exploring the idea of going smoke-free according to Michael Histed, the university’s director of risk management.
If U of O goes smoke-free, it will be the second university in Ontario to do so, after McMaster announced their decision to support a smoke-free campus starting Jan. 1, 2018.
Histed said in an email that they conducted a survey in the spring about smoking and smoke-free campuses. He said over 65 per cent of staff and students surveyed supported a smoke-free campus.
Histed added that this policy will not be easy to manage, but the university will try its best to convey the message and enforce the policy.
“The survey gave a very positive response from the student respondents, but there will be more consultations this fall with both staff and students,” he said.
For now, the U of O’s Health Sciences campus on Smyth Road will become smoke-free starting Jan. 1, 2018 in line with the changes to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act requiring all hospital campuses to be smoke-free, according to Histed.
He added that close to 80 per cent of the U of O campus is already smoke-free because of its policy requiring smokers to be at least nine metres away from entrances and air intakes, as well as patios, terraces and sports areas, which were also designated smoke-free.
“We will promote smoking cessation programs such as the Leave the Pack Behind for students as well as improving insurance programs for staff. This will be a gradual cultural shift, however we do anticipate challenges, particularly as we are a public, downtown campus, along with two [Light Rail Transit] stations on or close to University property,” he continued.
Yousef Abu Issa, a second-year business student at the U of O, said the ban should not happen as long as he and other smokers are not smoking in prohibited areas.
“It’s not high school,” he said. “I don’t mind moving away when I’m bothering anyone while smoking. This policy will not deter students from smoking, it will just make them smoke less on campus.”
While Carleton’s campus is not officially smoke-free, Olivia Richmond, a third-year history student, said that it is “not a bad idea.” However, Richmond said the policy ignores that for a lot of people, smoking is not really a choice, but an addiction.
“I have to have one before an exam or I will have anxiety before it and not focus. No one knows better than smokers how gross it is to smoke,” she said.
Zac Sedlar, a second-year music student at Carleton, said he is against banning smoking on campuses.
“When I have a three-hour class at Carleton, I need a cigarette in between, that’s just the nature of the addiction,” Sedlar said.
Sedlar explained that if he does not smoke during the break, he fails to focus for the rest of the class and becomes anxious because of his lack of nicotine.
“If they were to ban smoking on Carleton’s campus, that would be hindering my growing experience as a student,” he said.
While Carleton is currently not considering a smoking ban, there will be a mandatory review of the university’s smoking policy in May 2019, according to a CBC article.
Histed said there will be more consultations this fall with both staff and students at the U of O before they make a final decision.
Photo by Meagan Casalino
