2008 Woodie Awards
University bans smoking from building entrances
Christina Schenck
Issue date: 11/2/06 Section: News
By Christina Schenck
Staff Reporter
In order to comply with new state law, UTC has banned smoking inside buildings and within 25 feet of main entrances.
Richard Brown , vice chancellor of finance and operations, said that all smoking lounges have been closed to smokers, and ashtrays by doors have been removed. Signs have also been placed on all buildings declaring them as smoke-free.
"In the prior years to comply with the existent laws, we put in smoking lounges so smokers could be segregated from the non-smoking population," Brown said.
It will be up to the deans of the colleges to decide the use of the old smoking lounges.
Many lounges will stay open to students for uses other than smoking.
Brown said the transition of making the buildings and declaring areas as smoke-free has been finished.
According to Brown, setting aside new areas for smoking should be done within the next 30 days. Areas will be set up for smokers outside and away from entrances, possibly by the sides of buildings.
The non-smoking policy will be enforced by department heads. However, Brown said, "It's one of those issues where we have to respect the rights of others, so we're hoping all citizens in our community will actually be the ones who enforce the policy by complying with the policy."
"Second-hand smoke is a real health issue, and we're trying to protect the health and safety of those who do not smoke and balance that against the right[s] of smokers as well," he said.
However, Matthew St. Charles, a Chattanooga senior, feels that the rights of smokers are being violated.
"Where are you supposed to smoke? Not everyone is going to be perfect, but they still deserve rights," St. Charles said..
In contrast, Laura Kozloswki, a Chicago Ill., senior, agrees with the new policy.
Kozloswki said people do not want to have to walk through smoke in order to enter or exit a building.
"It should be a smoke-free facility," she continued. "Smoking is proven to be detrimental to your health."
According to the US Department of Health, second-hand smoke is as dangerous as smoking itself. This, in turn, appears to be causing increased reports of asthma, birth defects, cancer, heart disease, emphysema and several other lung-related illnesses.
Staff Reporter
In order to comply with new state law, UTC has banned smoking inside buildings and within 25 feet of main entrances.
Richard Brown , vice chancellor of finance and operations, said that all smoking lounges have been closed to smokers, and ashtrays by doors have been removed. Signs have also been placed on all buildings declaring them as smoke-free.
"In the prior years to comply with the existent laws, we put in smoking lounges so smokers could be segregated from the non-smoking population," Brown said.
It will be up to the deans of the colleges to decide the use of the old smoking lounges.
Many lounges will stay open to students for uses other than smoking.
Brown said the transition of making the buildings and declaring areas as smoke-free has been finished.
According to Brown, setting aside new areas for smoking should be done within the next 30 days. Areas will be set up for smokers outside and away from entrances, possibly by the sides of buildings.
The non-smoking policy will be enforced by department heads. However, Brown said, "It's one of those issues where we have to respect the rights of others, so we're hoping all citizens in our community will actually be the ones who enforce the policy by complying with the policy."
"Second-hand smoke is a real health issue, and we're trying to protect the health and safety of those who do not smoke and balance that against the right[s] of smokers as well," he said.
However, Matthew St. Charles, a Chattanooga senior, feels that the rights of smokers are being violated.
"Where are you supposed to smoke? Not everyone is going to be perfect, but they still deserve rights," St. Charles said..
In contrast, Laura Kozloswki, a Chicago Ill., senior, agrees with the new policy.
Kozloswki said people do not want to have to walk through smoke in order to enter or exit a building.
"It should be a smoke-free facility," she continued. "Smoking is proven to be detrimental to your health."
According to the US Department of Health, second-hand smoke is as dangerous as smoking itself. This, in turn, appears to be causing increased reports of asthma, birth defects, cancer, heart disease, emphysema and several other lung-related illnesses.
