Clearing the campus
As the University System of Georgia continues passing the tobacco-free proposal for all of Georgia schools, students at VSU have begun to express their mixed feelings about it. The anticipated ban will rule out the use of tobacco products on or near campus, even in the designated smoking areas. This means that students and staff will now have to find a place off campus to enjoy their smoke breaks, which they usually take behind the library or on the benches around campus, between their daily classes and lectures.
With a student majority opposing the ban, there’s a lot of talk about whether or not there should even be a ban on the campus. According to Valdosta State’s newspaper The Spectator, 53 percent of students “opposed” or “strongly opposed” the ban, 43 percent either “supported” or “strongly supported” the ban, and the other 4 percent were unbiased about the topic.
How we feel
“It’s an open campus and that seems unfair,” says Amira Dorsey, a VSU student and nursing major. On the other hand, some students, like VSU Dance major Ama Dorsey, feel that “It’s rude for people to smoke on campus,” and it should be banned, noting that cigarettes cause cancer. With the obvious advantages and disadvantages, there’s plenty of room for debate. What do you think? Is the new smoke-free policy too harsh for students, or do you think it’s best? Is there an alternative?