Alright, so I'm just going to cut to the most recent happenings about the smoke-free legislation that UT's Student Government passed in March. Just to refresh, they called this to be a seven-year process, and they do have a few exceptions to their rule. Just like alcohol is allowed in the Cactus Cafe and at the stadium, these are a few examples to the exceptions of our dry campus rule. Student Government hasn't actually posted the official exceptions, but you can figure them out for yourselves; there will probably be areas designated for smoking, maybe they will enforce a greater distance from any building that one must be to smoke. Right now, I think 20 feet is the rule? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Anyways, President Powers had a little something to say with regards to the SG's legislation. Powers, the President of the UT campus, is opposed to a complete banning of smoking. He basically implied that he supported designated smoking areas, according to the Daily Texan article found here: http://www.dailytexanonline.com/content/staff-council-set-discuss-campus-wide-smoking-ban. Keep in mind this article was published not too long ago, about 3 weeks ago. He said that a "complete ban alienates too many people." President Powers I believe is trying to accommodate the interests of every individual on this campus; I think his expression is reasonable.
However, it should be in everybody's best interest to understand that all UT really wants (okay, again I am speaking for UT pro-banners in general) is to protect the health of its people, while respecting those who still want to smoke. Powers said he understands banning smoking in certain areas--he even mentioned "outdoor areas", which, quite frankly, is very vague. But nevertheless, the most important aspect of this campaign is to reduce the amount of carcinogens in my lungs (and yours). I completely understand Powers' viewpoint: of COURSE a complete ban would alienate people and cause a lot of disgruntled workers and students to completely rebel. I think Powers is talking realism here.
You do know that a complete ban of smoking on this campus would help us be a LOT healthier by reducing the cigarette carcinogen levels to ZERO?
Of course, that's ideal. Ideally, that's what we want. We know it's not going to happen POOF one day I'll magically wake up and be soooo healthy. I think I need to point out a few important notes: 1) SG's legislation called for a seven-year process. SEVEN. It's going to take a while. 2) They even have EXCEPTIONS to the smoke-free campus policy they proposed. 3) Powers isn't completely against this plan. So people against this ban, before you say "AWW NO WAY AM I GOING TO OBEY THIS DUMB RULE", please give it a chance. Because everyone is trying to accommodate your views to make this work, and we all want to make this work.
Let me ask you this because I'm curious (and please, everybody reading this, answer): Would you be okay with having designated smoke areas somewhere away from campus? Or even in some secluded area on campus where nobody walks through? Here's the crazy idea: WHAT IF...Student Government decided to make this one area a smoking area, but it was at the edge of campus (somewhere where there are not many people)? So the people who do want to get some chemicals in their respiratory system have to walk all the way over to those places to do their thing. Do you think that'd be effective in discouraging smokers to smoke while still giving them the opportunity to smoke? Or is that just not fair?
Or, okay, here's another thought: The ban calls for smoke-free campus. I and you several thousand people are aware that we have a hookah bar and two smoke shops on the Drag, a strip of street bordering one of the smokiest areas I can think of. Yeah, we are not going to call them out. We can't do that. But would it be too much to ask if SG said "No smoking on campus but here's technically a part of campus where you can exercise your right to cancer. Just please respect the people on campus who don't want second-hand smoke"?
I'm doing the best I can to balance out opinions. Realism, people, think real! Keep public healthy; do your part responsibly. Smoke somewhere else.
A few comments: If anybody has insight as to where to find more info about the SG legislation, please comment and link me!
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