This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Texas chapter.
Like 500 other colleges and universities across the nation, UT Austin will become a completely tobacco-free campus starting March 1. This policy will apply to all campus property and areas under the university’s control such as parking areas and sidewalks.
The decision to go tobacco-free was made April 9, 2012 by the University of Texas system. However, 15 different temporary tobacco use locations were established throughout campus that will be available through February 28, 2013 for those who may need more time to adjust to the policy. The campus will continue to not fine violators, however, an individual who continuously violates the policy will face consequences.
This change in the no smoking policy accelerated quickly after the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) announced in February it would be giving UT future research funds to implement tobacco-free policies.
With this change in policy, the university receives about $30 million in grants from CPRIT and is expected to receive $80 million more in the future.
Adrienne Howarth-Moore, director of Human Resource Services, explained last year that the university was “already headed down a tobacco-free path, however, CPRIT was an impetus to accomplish this quickly.”
Additionally, a survey was taken in 2011 that showed 77 percent of 1,551 participating UT students supported a change that would further restrict smoking on campus. Another University Health Services’ college assessment survey showed that 2.7 percent of UT students reported smoking at least one cigarette every day of the month. Melissa, a chemical engineering freshman, is a frequent smoker and does not think it will affect her habits severely.
“It’s just an inconvenience that’s going to make me cut back some,” she said.
Some students think that the new policy will not change much and that tobacco will still impact non-smoking students. Neelam, an undeclared freshman, thinks that things will just stay the same.
“I see students now that don’t comply with the rules, I don’t see how it will make a difference when they take away the temporary smoking areas,” she said.
This policy will not apply to neighboring streets like Guadalupe or Dean Keeton. Melissa believes that most smokers will just migrate to these streets.
“I know a lot of smokers that are going to go out to Dean Keeton because it’s technically city property and not under the UT ban,” she said. “Students are always on Dean Keeton to walk to class or to wait for a bus, so if anything the ban is impacting students more out there than it is through temporary smoking areas.”
Despite some protests about the ban, the university will provide support to students who decide they want to quit smoking. The Counseling and Mental Health Center in University Health Services and the HealthPoint program in Human Resource Services offer cessation classes at little or no cost. Additionally, the UT Select insurance plans will cover tobacco cessation counseling using network providers.
Cover photo: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…