A Breath of Fresh Oppression at WSCC

[XLFD]

On Wednesday, November 15th, West Shore Community College (WSCC) will host a 'conversation about the benefits of a tobacco-free campus and local quit-tobacco resources', according to a multicolored flyer prolifically posted throughout campus titled "A Breath of Fresh Air".  Speaking at the 11 AM to 12:30 PM event will be Kate Donaldson of the Truth Initiative and Erin Barret of the local district health department, with 'free food and swag' to be given out to attendees.  

A WSCC on-line memo explains it further:  

West Shore Community College is taking steps to join a national movement to address smoking and tobacco use at community college campuses throughout the United States. In partnership with the WSCC Student Senate, the college has applied for a grant to implement a tobacco-free college program on the campus...

“The harmful effects of smoking are more apparent today than ever before. The Surgeon General reports links with smoking and secondhand smoke to other debilitating conditions such as heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer. While much progress has been made across the country in higher education, it is still clear that we can do more to educate our students and community,” said Interim President Scott Ward. “Cigarette smoking and second hand smoke have cost the United States over $200 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity. We need to prepare our students for the workforce where smoke-free policies are already the norm.”

WSCC’s efforts are part of a growing trend to clean the air on campuses. Nearly 1,500 higher education institutions in the United States have gone smoke- or tobacco-free, including about 350 community colleges...

If awarded, the grant will provide technical support from the Truth Initiative, the nation’s largest non-profit public health organization dedicated to making tobacco use a thing of the past. The Truth Initiative has partnered with over 70 community colleges and hopes to reach nearly 800,000 community college students and 59,000 faculty/staff across 27 states...

“The grant from the Truth Initiative will set the Student Senate up for success and I am confident together we can help them achieve their goals,” said Ward. “We are all supporting this student driven initiative to bring better health and a breath of fresh air to the campus.”

Author: Thomas Hawley | Executive Director of College Relations

While I personally have never smoked and admit to a bias against those who do take up this nasty habit, I cannot be anything other than appalled at this line of attack on what is an otherwise lawful practice of smoking. 

Currently, WSCC enforces rules that seem to be universally followed that allow no smoking within 50 feet of a building entrance.  They have signs reminding visitors of that policy, and all of their 'butt-receptacles' are located 50 or more feet away from building entrances.  This seems like a legitimate compromise to protect non-smokers from second hand smoke, and permit smokers to light up without taking their car (releasing its own share of toxic gases) off campus to sneak a needed dose of nicotine.

Yet, current president Scott Ward, suggests that the 'norm' of businesses is to go totally smoke-free as envisioned, which isn't the case.  It's not even the norm in community colleges when we use the figures given of 350 community colleges being already smoke-free, since there are 1462 such colleges in the country.  That's less than a quarter.  It's only slightly better when one considers all colleges (an alleged 1500 out of 5300 or 28%).  The current norm is what WSCC currently has:  smoking allowed in certain areas away from building entrances.

Ward finishes with “We are all supporting this student driven initiative...", when you can be certain that some of the statistical 14% at WSCCthat smoke are not, as well as the contingent of non-smokers who believe it is not the college's prerogative to completely ban a legal activity on campus and/or restrict the rights of others to pursue their own brand of happiness.

Neither the flyer or the news bulletin, however, mention or otherwise indicate that the discussion will tolerate any sort of diversity of opinion in the 'conversation' regarding this change in campus policy, since the only speakers are those vehemently behind the change and the WSCC president tells us that every single student, faculty, employee and all others support it anyway.

 

Let's just watch the justified and enlightened mob trample on the rights of a shamed segment of the population and tyrannically march forth in unison with whatever money the Truth Initiative puts in the college's coffers.  And hope we are not in the next group that gets targeted unfairly.

[Willy]

This mind set is expanding far and wide and is much more aggressive then most people realize. The smoking ban Nazis have their goals set on  prohibiting smoking anywhere in the great outdoors as evidenced by the following information.

[XLFD]

It's rather ridiculous in concept, but I would suggest it would be practical to ban smoking in wilderness areas during times when risks of fire would be high, just like they restrict controlled burns and the like during such times.   

[Willy]

I agree but that's not what is being put forth. They want the use of tobacco products banned everywhere in the United States, indoors and out. That's why the propaganda doesn't not say "smoking" but refers to "tobacco".

[Willy]

I agree with smoke free interiors of public places but tobacco free in the outdoors is as stupid as it gets.

[stump]

As a non smoker I always thought that there should be a smoking ban inside of businesses, public and government buildings. Parks and beaches?  I don't think so .    Then theres the employees who think they have to have that smoke break when ever they get the urge , not at just lunch time or a break if given.   Doing that screws the employer out the productivity lost. People that smoke don't seem to get that. Putting a smoking ban within 50 feet or more away only makes things worse. In the college case, would the employees go out to the road? yes they would. I have seen it in many areas groups of smokers standing off property even in the rain just puffing away. I seen this where I used to work over 20 years ago.   Health wise this is probably worse as their not just having a casual smoke but inhaling  faster and more smoke just to burn one and go back inside.  

[Willy]

This is another example of leftist intervention gone wild. There are very few people who would not agree with banning smoking in offices and public areas where there are real heath concerns. Taking this to extremes are the leftists. Can anyone imagine anything more ridiculous than trying to ban tobacco products outdoors. These foolish leftists drive their carbon monoxide producing vehicles to parks where they smugly disapprove of someone smoking a cigarette. Our bureaucracy is crawling with leftists who continually shove their agendas down our throats.

[XLFD]

Very good comment, stump; I know a few non-smoker workers who are a bit upset about why smokers are given the privilege to take a smoke break outdoors when they feel like it, while they cannot get such a break. 

I applaud efforts to get people to smoke outdoors non-intrusively to others who don't smoke, but I encourage treating them not as outcasts but with the dignity we should afford all others.  The smoke-free campus is geared towards what is a good cause of reducing smoking, but it's an over-reach that may create the problems you state and more. 

Seeing smokers on the side of Stiles or Sugar Grove Road isn't a good optic for the college, it creates traffic hazards where pedestrian facilities do not exist in traveling to and from 'off-campus', and it seems like a very arbitrary act considering the 50 foot rule they have now.

[stump]

On the smoke break subject I just recalled my first encounter with people taking a smoke break. My first job in a factory when smoking was allowed inside, I decided to eat a candy bar while I waited for the next person that needed a parts box exchange. The boss came up and said to me that I couldn't eat a candy bar because it wasn't break time. I looked down the row of about 20 people and half of them were just setting back puffing away. I think I said , really? looking down the row raising my hand towards them.  He looked and just walked away.  I think that is when I realized the loss of productivity smokers cost businesses. That was over 50 years ago.