Smoke-free a possible issue

To the editor:

After reading the article regarding the OCCC campus going smoke-free by 2010, I have to say, I’m somewhat alarmed. In particular, “You wouldn’t be allowed to smoke or have tobacco products anywhere on campus”.

I share sympathy with all the complaints regarding smoking — discarded cigarette butts, clouds of smoke surrounding entrances, etc.

We have to keep in mind all these complaints represent irresponsible smokers. Some smokers hide themselves away from main entrances and discard their cigarettes in the proper containers.

In my opinion, the problem can be easily cured by campus officers.

A couple of years ago, my husband and I were entering the Main Building one evening for an event.

We used Entry 11 and just a few feet away from the door stood two campus officers, both smoking.

I know these two officers, so I reminded them that smoking was not allowed so close to an entrance.

The response I got was, “Oh well.” We have smokers who will smoke near the doors and toss their cigarettes on the ground because there’s no enforcement of current policies.

On numerous occasions, I’ve called Security about smokers near entries and the response was that Security relies on the general public to take care of this problem.

In short, if you see someone smoking near an entry, you are supposed to tell them to leave by yourself.

The solution to the smoking problem is not to tell smokers they can’t smoke on campus; the solution is to have the campus officers enforce current rules regarding smoking.

Do you really think you can go for years not enforcing the rules?

If OCCC is really considering pushing this issue forward, compromise could be an option.

Perhaps OCCC should designate one or two areas for smoking on campus.

These could be far from main entrances where smokers can smoke in peace without endangering non-smokers.

—Name withheld
by request