University of Michigan going smoke-free by 2011
The University of Michigan plans to go smokeless by 2011.
"We talked around the issues of community well-being and heath and individual rights," said Robert Winfield, director of University Heath Services and the chief health officer at U-M.
The campus' dormitories have been smokeless for 10 years.
Four other Michigan universities have already banned smoking; Washtenaw Community College, Saginaw Valley State University, Grand Rapids Community College and Lansing Community College.
"People have used this campus policy to take that next step towards a more healthy lifestyle and stop smoking," said Janet Hawkins, coordinator of public relations at Washtenaw Community College.
WCC has been smokeless since January of 2006.
The change at U-M reflects what is going on culturally, Hawkins said. When WCC first made the decision to go smokeless, it was one of the first campuses to do so. Many others have followed suit.
U-M made the decision after several conferences with residence hall students discussing the difficulty of enforcing the smoking policy around entrances. Many students felt uncomfortable confronting their peers, and didn't feel like they had the authority to confront faculty or staff members.
U-M still has many issues to work out regarding its policy, which is why planning is scheduled for two years, Winfield said.
A committee made up of students, faculty and staff, both smokers and non-smokers, will discuss how to communicate the policy change, enforce the policy, whether there should special outbuildings for smokers and how to deal with public events and guests.
"You can imagine the difficulties surrounding events on campus, such as tailgates," said Winfield of enforcing the policy.
However, Hawkins said WCC's smoking ban has largely been successful.
Kaleva senior Danielle Johnson said she would love it if CMU banned smoking on campus.
"I hate getting stuck behind people that smoke when I'm walking to class," she said. "I've never been a smoker."
China graduate student William Jiang and Jordan graduate student Muath Alhammouri, both smokers, believe they have the right to smoke on campus.
"You can't smoke in the building so you can smoke out here," Alhammouri said. "What's the difference if I smoke in my apartment or if I smoke on campus?"
Jiang said although he knows second-hand smoke is harmful for other people, he would still be opposed to a smoking ban.
"It's not a good idea for me because I smoke," he said. "I hope there isn't a ban."
Senior Reporter Joe Borlik contributed to this report.
metro@cm-life.com
