The sole reason smoking on campus has come under fire is the inability of certain smokers to listen to the rules. Regarding buildings, there are signs posted all over campus that read “No smoking within 20 feet”. However, even with the explicit instruction, many smokers feel the need to smoke near buildings, doors, in covered areas, generally with total disregard for those around them.
What I mean is this: if these smokers paid attention to the rules, we wouldn’t be having this debate. We wouldn’t be listening to complaints, as they would hold no ground. But when people choose to disobey rules, it becomes a problem for students and staff, who then have the freedom to openly criticize all smokers. They can even go so far as suggesting banning smoking on campus entirely, which I believe to be an infringement on student freedoms. But as they stand, the rules are too lax.
It is unfair of certain FCC staff and students to demand a ban on all smoking, as we have already seen the effects of such restricting rules in other areas. For example, recently a student was riding a skateboard on campus and was stopped by campus police. Upon refusing to relinquish his skateboard, a major altercation took place, with nothing gained but a growing contempt of police by students and a general anger in the police force at noncompliance with the same student base. It is the nature of all-encompassing bans that they will eventually be broken or disregarded, usually with no consequence but in rare situations, extreme consequence.
But just as it is unfair to say smoking should be entirely banned, it’s also unfair of smokers to think they are guilt-free and should be left alone. Just as it is an infringement of student rights to ban their smokes, it is an infringement of non-smoker rights to have smoke blown in their direction, smelling or breathing it as they walk from place to place, and facing the unpleasant view of cigarette butts littered all over campus. Thus, we as mature adults must reach a compromise.
So what is the compromise? I propose that Fresno City introduce designated smoking areas. The best choices of location for these areas would be up to administrators, but I can see the patio behind the café, near the fountains, and the area next to the cafeteria as being possible spots. This idea has already been proven successful on other college campuses, including Fresno State. It is a settlement that all sides can agree with, as smokers would be free to enjoy their cigarettes and the rest of FCC’s student base could wait near classes and walk about campus without the hassle of smelling or breathing second-hand smoke.
Another benefit is smokers wouldn’t be forced to leave campus in between classes. I can understand the need to have a cigarette during the ten-minute break of a four hour class. If smoking was banned on campus grounds, that ten minutes wouldn’t leave any time to do anything other than barely get off campus and then rush back.
If we create these designated smoking areas, surely it won’t stop all smokers from smoking wherever they please. The idea behind this change is not to create the perfect campus where nobody breaks any rules. The idea is to create an environment on campus that, if respected by smokers, would allow the freedom to smoke but not cause harm or distress to others.
And certainly, we can all agree with that.