The Fresno City College Associated Student Government will hold its first of their debate on the proposed smoking ban in the student lounge today. Students will be arguing in favor of banning smoking on campus or keeping it legal.
The debates today will give students a chance to voice their thoughts. Those who want smoking banned may present their arguments to their opposition, and vice versa. Three microphones will be set up in the back of the student lounge. The first is for those who are for banning smoking on campus, another for those who are against it, and the third for those who would rather see designated areas.
Both plans for a smoking-free campus or designated areas have been modeled after other schools that succeeded in those rules. One of those schools is Foothills College as well as Fresno State University, both of which are designated-area schools. Another school modeled was San Jose City College, which successfully banned smoking on its campus.
One idea for designated areas is the possibility of allowing smoking in the school parking lots. ASG Senator Gabriel Cordova, who is an integral part of organizing the debates, feels there would need to be more designated areas other than the parking lot, due to issues that could arise if the parking lot was the only place students could smoke.
“If we went to parking lot designated areas only, there would be a chance of crime rate going up. You’d also be looking at a chance of accidents, traffic congestion, and littering and loitering in the parking lots,” said Cordova. Risks of students getting hurt could increase due to fog during the winter seasons.
However, if neither a smoking-free campus nor designated areas passes, the current rule will stay. The current rule, which is state law AB 846, is smoking is not allowed within 20 feet of an open building or window, which some students feel smokers do not always respect.
According to ASG President Daniel Gai, there are some students who simply do not know the rule, while there are others who do not care.
Designated areas would be a “potential fix” for students no longer breaking the state law, because the only place they would be allowed to smoke would also be in accordance with AB 846, said Gai.
ASG’s campaign to address the smoking issue started with informing students about the debates and the upcoming vote that will take place next semester during the ASG elections.
ASG representatives put on a smoking tour which went from Nov. 8-10. This tour involved visiting various forum hall classes and informing the students about what is going to happen, concerning the debates and votes.
One of ASG’s main goals with the smoking campaign has been to make sure students at FCC are informed of it, said Cordova. The ASG wants to make sure that whatever is decided on was entirely the decision of the students, and part of that was making sure they took place in the debates.
“Involvement in this debate for the students of Fresno City College was our main goal,” said Cordova.
One way to further provide information about the debates was a booth set up on Nov. 17. The booth provided fliers that informed on the health and financial dangers of smoking, as well as surveying students on what they’d prefer to happen with the smoking rule reformation.
Along with the booth was a pile of cigarette butts, all of which once littered the FCC campus. Each one was picked up by ASG Senator Christian Shapasian, and was displayed to show students the trouble with cigarette butts littering the campus.
FCC student Samantha Mehling, first year Veterinary Science major, is one student who feels that completely banning smoking on campus could be a bad thing, due to it possibly hurting attendance. However, she feels positive about ASG reaching out to those who are not comfortable with smoking being allowed on campus.
“I like that they’re trying to do something to make it more comfortable for the non-smokers,” Mehling said.
Today’s debate will be the first of several. Others are planned to take place next semester before the final elections.
