Do you think designated smoking areas are a good idea?

Do you want McMaster to be a healthier, more welcoming, and respectful campus?

Sign the online petition at http://smokefreemac.com

Over 267 Universities and Colleges across North America are smoke-free. For examples of successful smoke-free policies, please visit the websites of the successful smoke-free campaigns at the University of Michigan http://www.hr.umich.edu/smokefree/ and Dalhousie University http://safety.dal.ca/programs_services/smokefree/

I don't think we should restrict the people who'd like to smoke to resort to smoking off-campus. I've seen several professors, TAs and classmates smoking time to time. As long as smokers and non-smokers alike are aware of the areas in which smoking is prohibited I don't see why not. They chose to smoke so let them I suppose. It personally doesn't bother me, but then again that simply is my opinion.

i have severe asthma, and inhalation of second hand smoke weakens my already weak lungs. Mcmaster needs to designate a location isolated from a lot of student traffic. Smokers have every right to slowly kill themselves. However their actions should not effect others who stay away from the atrocious habit.

Originally Posted by stressedspec

i have severe asthma, and inhalation of second hand smoke weakens my already weak lungs. Mcmaster needs to designate a location isolated from a lot of student traffic. Smokers have every right to slowly kill themselves. However their actions should not effect others who stay away from the atrocious habit.

Hm I must agree there. It is annoying to inhale the second hand smoke while walking into MUSC or out of MUSC. D:

Originally Posted by stressedspec

i have severe asthma, and inhalation of second hand smoke weakens my already weak lungs. Mcmaster needs to designate a location isolated from a lot of student traffic. Smokers have every right to slowly kill themselves. However their actions should not effect others who stay away from the atrocious habit.

There are areas designated entirely for smoking, but smokers can smoke pretty much anywhere as long as it's not 9 metres away from an entrance (So they can smoke as they walk along the sidewalk in front of you).

The areas designated for smoking are those shelters that look like bus stop shelters. I know there's one across from Edwards, one behind IAHS, I also believe there is one in West Quad.

Originally Posted by jhan523

There are areas designated entirely for smoking, but smokers can smoke pretty much anywhere as long as it's not 9 metres away from an entrance (So they can smoke as they walk along the sidewalk in front of you).

The areas designated for smoking are those shelters that look like bus stop shelters. I know there's one across from Edwards, one behind IAHS, I also believe there is one in West Quad.

i work for mac, specifically in mills. The rule is not enforced. Numerous individuals smoke outside of the second floor entrance. The university needs to take a firm stance and start giving out tickets.

I think this is a good idea. I believe that if people choose to smoke and disregard the health risks associated with smoking by choosing to smoke, the ones who do care about their health should not suffer for it.

Is there a dual of this petition for those who think smokers are not an issue?

There are already designated smoking zones. Plus the leaders of this 'effort' are severely confused. There is a very large difference between a "smoke-free campus" and one with designated smoking areas, yet you mention both of those... in the same argument...? Which is it?

If they are campaigning for one with designated smoking areas, then i would argue that's kind of a silly thing to spend resources on. A more valuable petition would be for enforcing the current laws more strictly (that already have designated smoking areas...), not re-hashing what we already have in place.

If they are campaigning for a complete smoke-free campus, that's completely absurd. I know people have valid health concerns with smoking, but guess what? Smokers have the right to smoke, it's not illegal.

Off-topic tangent: Reminds me of a conundrum i was in in a math lecture a few months ago. I always bob my knee up and down, i don't know if i necessarily have some type of disorder, but i do it chronically and sub-consciously usually (and i mean ALWAYS, if i sit down anywhere, my leg starts bobbing). Anyways i was once told by a guy sitting a few chairs down from me to stop because it was annoying him. I could see he was probably having a bad day (he kept breaking his pencil lead haha) so i held my tongue from explaining my situation and tried my best to stop, and i had to put in quite a conscious effort to do so. Anyways, moral of the story is he probably didn't even realize i was doing it sub-consciously, but you know what? He does indeed have the right to a distraction free environment, and i have the right to bob my f*cking knee, it's about give and take and it's about respect.

With that said, no, smokers should not be smoking in public places where as people have mentioned in this thread people may have asthma or other lung problems, but a smoke-wide ban is completely unwarranted. Why not put up No Smoking signs outside of MUSC or Mills? Wouldn't that do the trick?

Originally Posted by adaptation

There are already designated smoking zones. Plus the leaders of this 'effort' are severely confused. There is a very large difference between a "smoke-free campus" and one with designated smoking areas, yet you mention both of those... in the same argument...? Which is it?

Haha, I kind of agree. I think what OP meant was to have designated smoking areas as opposed to being allowed to smoke anywhere.

Originally Posted by adaptation

With that said, no, smokers should not be smoking in public places where as people have mentioned in this thread people may have asthma or other lung problems, but a smoke-wide ban is completely unwarranted. Why not put up No Smoking signs outside of MUSC or Mills? Wouldn't that do the trick?

I thought there were signs posted around the entrance of all the buildings... Granted they aren't very eye catching...

Originally Posted by jhan523

I thought there were signs posted around the entrance of all the buildings... Granted they aren't very eye catching...

I think they just say you need to be 9 feet away or whatever (which i doubt is followed), i'm suggesting perhaps completely disallowing people from smoking in that plaza outside of MUSC, but hey, those are just my two cents.

What gets on my nerves more than when smokers are near the entrance is when they blow the smoke in your face.

Enforce the 9 m's rule first and reevaluate after to see if it works.

While I am strongly opposed to smoking it's useful to keep two things in mind.

1) Smokers are addicts. They have a health problem, and it bothers me a little when people treat them like they are immoral human beings.

2) It makes no sense to add new rules for smoking when they don't even enforce the current ones. 9 m is quite a distance and covers most pedestrian bottlenecks on campus. What they need though is to outline where smoking isn't allowed and actually enforce it.

The IAHS one doesn't even really do much because its pretty much right at the paths people use anyways... however it stops people from standing right by the doors and doing it. I can see them putting one out front of MUSC or at the loading dock by the arts quad if anything.

This whole thing would be a non-issue if smokers took a couple of minutes to go somewhere where people arn't walking, but because of their laziness/attitude, this doesn't seem to happen often.