Administration is considering smoke-free OSU proposal

Student health advocates are continuing an effort to ban smoking altogether on the Oregon State University campus, and turned in a proposal to administrators last month.

“Right now we are just waiting to hear back on their decision,” said Sarah Ballini, a senior in health promotion and human behavior.

“There are quite a few universities throughout the country that have taken a similar route. We wouldn’t be the first, and hopefully, we wouldn’t be the last,” said Dr. Phillip Histand, director of OSU Student Health Services, who helped with the proposal.

In Oregon, the University of Portland and Oregon Health & Science University have campus-wide smoking bans.

Histand said such a ban could be implemented at OSU in fall 2009 at the earliest. A student vote might not be necessary.

Ballini, the chairwoman of the Student Health Advisory Board, hoped to have the ban in place this fall. But last year, the board decided to gather more data and do a survey before turning in the proposal.

According to the survey, conducted by the Student Health Advisory Board, 75 percent who responded reported that secondhand smoke on campus bothers them, and 73 percent would support a smoke-free campus policy.

Only 2.8 percent of OSU students smoke every day, according to a survey by the National College Health Association, Ballini said.

While there are problems from littering, secondhand smoke is the major concern.

“Because of our weather, people will tend to smoke closer to buildings than what’s allowed under regulations. You have smoke drifting into residence halls and the library,” she said.

“Secondhand smoke is a known carcinogen, and there are a number of areas on campus where there is a fair amount of smoke outside buildings that people are encountering in their day-to-day travels, Histand said.

Katie Rice said she sometimes has to walk through clouds of smoke on campus. “I think it would be a good idea. Even though it’s outside, it’s still imposing on people,” said Rice, a sophomore in human development and family sciences.

“I’d be for it. I find it obnoxious,” said Morgan Erhardt, who is getting a second degree in biology.

Smokers bristled at the possibility of a ban.

“If they want to prohibit smoking on campus, they need to prohibit drinking,” said Jameel Al Jishi, a sophomore computer science major from Saudi Arabia. “What’s the difference? They both kill you. I think it’s unfair.” Moments later, he was lighting up a cigarette in the plaza in front of the Valley Library.

“If people want to smoke, they should be able to as long as they’re not littering,” said Ian Enright, a freshman in civil engineering.

He wouldn’t stop puffing if OSU created a campus-wide ban. “I’d just be more sneaky about it.”

Kyle Odegard covers Oregon State University. He can be contacted at kyle.odegard@lee.net or 758-9523.