By Ja’Mond Allen
Tobacco use will be banned on Georgia public college campuses starting Oct. 1st. In a preliminary vote, the state Board of Regents voted unanimously for the ban with little discussion. The new policy will take place beginning next fall and will affect 31 public university campuses in the state Georgia.
University System of Georgia Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, Marion Fredrick, said “Our aim with this policy is to preserve and improve the health, comfort and environment of employees and any persons occupying (campus) facilities.” The ban will be applied to buildings and spaces owned, leased or used by University System of Georgia colleges and universities, including parking lots.
SSU currently allows smoking on campus, but smokers have to be at least 25-35 feet away from Savannah State owned buildings. State officials asked that these schools really try to enforce these policies and not just warn students.
Fredrick said the ban will help save the state money. The system spends about $2.4 million annually for health insurance claims directly related to tobacco.
According to national surveys as much as 18.9 percent of the system’s students could be smokers, Fredrick said. The percent could be lower, because people who are higher up in educational attainment are less likely to use tobacco.
Carson Yates, a junior at SSU, says the ban on tobacco will be ignored just like the ban on alcohol.
“It’s stupid. How are you going to ban tobacco on a campus where majority of the campus smokes? It won’t matter. Alcohol is banned on campus and they know we drink.”
“It seems to me that they are just bored and have nothing else to do but ban stuff,” Yates said. “I know people that are still going to smoke outside and I doubt that cops give a ticket or fine somebody for smoking a black or a cigarette. Armstrong banned smoking and they still are outside smoking so it seems pretty stupid if you ask me.”
Whether or not students agree with the ban, this is the last semester tobacco is allowed on GA campuses. It depends on the college and university presidents whether or not these rules are enforced. However, regardless of the negative and positive feedback, a change is expected come fall.
