The Standard

Issue date: 9/25/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Matt Almaraz

In a controversial decision, Pennsylvania officials announced last week that smoking would not be allowed anywhere on any of the 14 state campuses. Although local schools, like Ozarks Technical Community College and Drury University, have adopted similar prohibitions, Missouri State officials haven't given any indication of following that crowd.

But what if they did?

"I don't think they should do that," Alicia Anderson, a junior nursing major said. "It doesn't seem fair to have to go completely off of campus to smoke."

In an article from the Chronicle of Higher Education citing the American Lung Association, Pennsylvania universities are joining more than 130 campuses that ban smoking entirely.

"I think a better approach would be designated areas," said Shane Reichert, a senior psychology major. "It shouldn't be in front of doors though; you always have to walk through that."

Anderson voiced a similar complaint.

"I don't have an issue if they're outside, but not right by the doors," she said.

Phillip Devole, a junior cell and molecular biology major, said he foresees another kind of problem.

"I work at Cox, where smoking's not allowed," he said. "It causes a lot of litter because there are no receptacles and everyone just smokes anyway."

The Chronicle of Higher Education reported students continuing to smoke on campus, with no real consequences at this point in time.

According to the Missouri College Health Behavior Survey, smoking on Missouri State's campus is up 1 percent from last year.

Last year, the randomly e-mailed survey was sent to 3,200 students of Missouri State, with 960 of those returned, said Jerilyn Reed, a tobacco treatment specialist at Taylor Health and Wellness Center.

Of those students, 14 percent said they smoked cigarettes, Reed said, and 70 percent of students surveyed said they didn't use any kind of tobacco products.

In 2008, 5,000 surveys were sent out with around 1,000 returned, Reed said.

This year, 15 percent of students said they smoked cigarettes and 70 percent again said they didn't use any kind of tobacco.

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