Dec. 1, the day we’ve all been waiting for. The day to vote no to the GUSA Smoke and Tobacco Ban referendum, a decision that affects every single person on campus.
To define the exact policy that the university plans to implement is incredibly difficult because the administration has been very unclear about what this ban really does, but what we do know is that it is a campus-wide ban on all smoke and tobacco products. This is much more far reaching than just cigarettes. Among the mix are e-cigarettes (that can help smokers quit), vaporizers (which emits water vapor), hookahs (a Middle Eastern tobacco pipe that has been used by cultural clubs), and even chewing tobacco (that has absolutely no impact on surrounding students). It is one thing for the administration to decide to ban cigarettes, but what is the motivation to ban all of these other products? It boils down to making a political statement.
There has been a large movement to ban smoking and tobacco products across university campuses, although many have significant issues of enforcement. At New York University, people smoke in front of the smoke-free signs by the Bobst Library. At George Washington University, cigarette butts litter the streets near academic buildings, where smoking is prohibited. Georgetown needs a reformed smoking policy, but not one that is unreasonable, ineffective, and unenforceable.
The proposed smoking and tobacco ban is harmful to the social environment on campus and to the lifestyles of individuals. It bans all kinds of tobacco products that don’t yield secondhand smoke as a byproduct. It causes increased tension and separation between the international student community and the rest of Georgetown. It’s incredibly difficult to enforce, especially when the university hasn’t released any specific details about what the ban entails. It’ll cause cigarette butts to cover campus instead of in the ashtrays. It contradicts the Campus Plan which aims to keep students on university property since smokers—especially those who are addicted—will be forced to smoke off-campus. It doesn’t even specifically address any kind of better cessation program. This ban causes too many problems for it to be a good idea.
The alternative solution is establishing smoking zones. The university currently designates there can be no smoking within 25 feet of any building entrance. However, the existing ashtrays and poles are located within that radius, directly contradicting the policy. There is a common misconception on campus that if the current 25 feet smoking policy was actually enforced, the only locations that would be possible to smoke at would be the middle of Healy Lawn and inside Cooper Field. The distance between those areas and any entrance is easily over 100 feet. There are many locations around campus that would be ideal sites for smoking zones. Remember that weird little picnic table behind the bushes near Lau, the place that nobody ever goes to? Or what about the area behind Leo’s, a good 50 feet away from the volleyball court? Even the administration admits that those locations have been measured and can work.
There are almost too many reasons for why this smoke and tobacco ban is a terrible idea. If you find issue with any of these concerns, then I urge you to vote no. There needs to be active student engagement in this process. This isn’t a question about whether smoking is a good or bad thing. It’s about what the best policy is to make sure all workers, visitors, students, and staff can be comfortable on campus. The current plan is too radical—it attempts too much too quickly—and there is a better solution. Vote no.
Saad is a sophomore in the College.
