Second-hand smoke,litter and fire danger cited as concerns

Student health advocates who want to ban smoking at Oregon State University plan to begin talks with classmates and administrators during winter term.

University administrators will have the final say on such a ban, although students could weigh in with their vote on the proposed ban next year, said Sarah Ballini, chairwoman of the Student Health Advisory Board.

The consequences facing students who violate such a ban haven't yet been decided, she said. However, the health dangers from smoking are well documented.

Ballini said second-hand smoke carries carcinogens 40 feet, cigarettes create problems with litter and burning butts lead to bark dust fires.

The OSU junior, who is studying health promotion and health behavior, said only 2.4 percent of OSU students smoke every day, according to a survey by the American College Health Association and the National College Health Assessment.

Kelly Sherwood, a 23-year-old English major from Portland, termed the proposed ban stupid.

"People on campus (who) smoke usually do it by an ashtray and are pretty respectful about it," she said, taking a smoke break near the Valley Library after studying for a final today. She said that she would just walk off campus to smoke if a ban were approved.

Senior Haden Kujawa puffed on a cigarette and said he'd support smoking areas, but he said a ban went too far.

The Fresh Air Initiative, a Student Health Advisory Board subcommittee, previously considered restricting smoking to designated spots or permitting smoking only after dusk. On Friday, it decided to pursue the smoking ban, Ballini said.

"To us, that's good news. … Tobacco is a primary cause of a lot of preventable disease," said Charlie Fautin, deputy administrator of the Benton County Health Department.

Mark Floyd, a university spokesperson, said the proposed changes would need to be heard during rulemaking sessions, which OSU holds twice a year.

"Ultimately, the university's administration would decide which rules to adopt. It would be necessary to ensure that any OSU regulation is not contrary to state or federal law," Floyd wrote in an e-mail.

Fautin said that about 70 American universities have gone smoke-free, including Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. He expected a campus smoking ban would be well accepted in Corvallis, the first city in Oregon to enact a smoking ban in restaurants and bars in 1998.

Smoking now also is banned in any Corvallis business with public access to it and within 10 feet of business and workplace entrances and even in city parks. Posted motel rooms and tobacco retail establishments are not part of the city's ban.

In January, a new statewide law kicks in that prohibits smoking in most Oregon businesses, except for bars, bowling alleys, posted motel rooms and tobacco shops, Fautin said.

Not all students who smoke oppose the ban.

"I'm thinking about quitting anyway, so it doesn't matter," said Mike Brown, 27, of Albany, who picked up the habit while serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq.

"Something to keep me awake," he explained. "This is the first pack I've bought in a couple of months. I bought it just because I was kind of stressed (from finals week)."

Ballini said she's heard worries the smoking ban might impact OSU's reputation with international students, who may be from countries where smoking is more tolerated.

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