Clearing the Smoke

Students Voice a Wide Range of Opinions on a Tobacco-Free BSU

By DJ Haffely and Maggi Stivers

Signs tell students to become
aware that the smoking ban
is starting.
photo by Maggi Stivers

Bemidji State University students have various opinions on BSU becoming tobacco free. Some say that walking behind smokers and smoking too close to the doors is a nuisance. Some students interviewed that it’s unfair to take smoking away from them. The talk is swirling, and not only at BSU; but as of April 2011, BSU will be a tobacco-free university.

Currently, only public Minnesota state universities are tobacco free. Winona State, and Southwest Minnesota State University. Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) has “a strong push to be tobacco free for all of next year,” said Keith Voeller, SCSU sophomore, “So I better smoke all I can this year!”  At the Minnesota State University – Mankato campus, the only rule regarding smoking is that the smoker must be 15 feet away from all doors.

The BSU Student Senate started the smoke-free campus movement in April 2010, at which time a survey was taken of BSU students. Ninety-three percent of those surveyed agreed that second-hand smoke is a health hazard and 77% of the respondents agreed that they are exposed to secondhand smoke at BSU.  These results can be found in the Bemidji State University Smoking Policy.

 There is much speculation about what is happening; the word is out on the new policy and how it is to go into effect April 2011, exactly one year from the approval of the policy.

According to Ashley Tenney, co-president of student senate, BSU is following the examples of other universities in how enforced the tobacco ban. The policy relies on a system of turning each other in for the main method of enforcement.  Violation worksheets will become available to students, faculty and staff and turned in to a supervisor who will take the necessary disciplinary actions.

The Student Center for Health and Counseling is offering help for all students who want assistance quitting the use of tobacco. Other resources can also be found the Tobacco Free BSU Web site. Anna Krueger, BSU junior, started smoking when she was 17 and stated in an email that “I will quit on my own terms when I feel like it."

Anna Kruger smokes a
cigarette outside Hagg Sauer.
photo by Maggi Stivers

In the policy, tobacco is defined as “any lighted or unlighted, cigarette, cigar, pipe, bidi, clove cigarette, and any other smoking product; and smokeless or spit tobacco, also known as dip, chew, snuff or snus, in any form.” Devon Eggena, a tobacco chewer said, “It’ll be hard for them to stop me from chewing because it’s not out in the open so I’m going to chew anyways.” Eggena also attended University of Minnesota- Duluth where they also are experiencing a movement to be tobacco free. He saw that it wasn’t working and doesn’t think it will work here either.

Sarah Meyer, BSU sophomore, has different feelings towards the situation. She stated in an email interview, “I do have a few friends that are going to be affected by this, but this is definitely going to be a positive change for campus. . . The best thing about this is that I'm going to be able to walk around campus and not have to smell someone's cigarette smoke or get "smoked out" when I'm walking past someone.”

Chad Erikson, a BSU criminal justice major said that the policy “is overreaching and intending to limit the rights of students.” Erikson feels that it is an attempt to remove a perfectly legal pastime that does not bother others and it is discriminating against those that choose to smoke. Some, like Erikson, see the tobacco free movement as taking away rights.

Tenney added that “the use of tobacco in participation of a University-sanctioned American Indian spiritual or cultural ceremony is not prohibited” within the smoking policy. The policy can be found at Tobacco Free Web site. There is also a place for students to list their suggestions.