Wayne State considers smoke-free campus

Over the past school year, Wayne State University has been hearing a lot about whether smoking should be ban on campus. As of right now smoking is only fully banned at Wayne States Medical School, which took effect in 2009.      

At Wayne State’s main campus there is a smoking ban within 25 feet of any buildings rule.        

Dominique Denny, a junior at Wayne State University said she likes the idea of a full ban.           “I fully support the idea of them banning smoking on the main campus.” Denny said, “ They already have it ban at the medical school and besides the smokers here don’t even follow the 25 foot rule, I’m sick of smelling like smoke coming out of state hall.”             

With the state of Michigan banning smoking in public places such as restaurants, work sites, and bars back in 2010, public universities seems like they should be next.    Nearly two-dozen Michigan universities and colleges are currently smoke-free. 

Not all students at Wayne State feel the same way. Some students like WSU senior Rachel Flum feels that smokers should have some say as to the banning.     

“ No I don’t agree with the ban, it’s not fair at all.” Said Flum, “ I smoke and what I think they should do is enforce the 25 foot rule more, not just do away with it and smoking altogether.”        

Just this past May, Wayne State formed its own 11-member task force that was made up of students and faculty to decide if the university should be smoke-free.  

Few businesses around Wayne State have gone a step further as to stop selling tobacco altogether. The CVS on Warren Ave stopped selling cigarettes at their stores on Oct.1^st of last year.            Austin Meredith a junior at Wayne State also agrees with banning smoking at Wayne.    

“I think that a ban on smoking on-campus should be considered simply because the majority of those I see smoking completely ignore the rule now.” Meredith said, 

 “For those of us who have serious reactions to it or for those who just don't want to be around it, it is very unfair to have to walk straight into a cloud of smoke entering or exiting buildings on-campus. Meredith also talks about the smoky smell in the rooms.   

“I have even been in an event hosted in a building on-campus where periodically the room would start to smell of smoke because of the people outside smoking right by the windows.” Meredith said, “ If no one is going to enforce the rule and smokers won't follow it, it should be banned.”

With the debate still going on its hard to tell whether Wayne State will or will not commit to have its campus smoke-free.