Ohio University officially became a smoke-free campus on Aug. 1, 2015, yet using smoking products like cigarettes and e-cigarettes seems to be the norm. Just walking around campus or in between classes, you are bound to see a couple people smoking and even more vaping. Despite being a smoke-free campus, why would students still be using tobacco and vape products?
Ever since I can remember, I have been told to stray away from tobacco products. Whether it be from anti-smoking campaigns, my parents or from my grandmother, who could never officially quit, many pick up the habit of vaping because they feel that “it’s healthier than smoking,” but that's a rather low bar.
The Office of the Surgeon General states that risks e-cigarettes pose to young people include nicotine addiction, mood disorders, long term harm to brain development and respiratory health, and permanent lowering of impulse control, to name a few. Cigarettes carry these risks and many more that could potentially be fatal, such as various forms of heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Is the university actually doing anything about it? In OU's Tobacco-Free Initiative Fall 2015 impact survey, which observed 73 percent of students, 19 percent of staff and 8 percent of faculty, over half said they would probably not and definitely not approach someone who is not complying with the policy.
In response to frustrations about lack of enforcement, the university stated on Jan. 7th, 2016 that there were “currently no plans in place to add disciplinary procedures for tobacco use on campus.”
This means the only way to solve the problem, according to the university, is to politely inform the user of their wrongdoing and hope for the best. Results show this will not happen as often as necessary, and a lack of repercussions results in no immediate change.
The continuing issues and absence of empathy from the university for people who do not smoke and feel the secondhand effects would make anyone question the true motives for implementing this law campus-wide. Many would be led to believe that the law was only implemented to satisfy a state requirement and that no real action was ever planned to be taken, with which I would have to agree. But there’s one thing I know for sure: OU's tobacco-free initiative certainly needs a bit of renovation.
Charlotte Caldwell is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Charlotte? Email her cc670717@ohio.edu.
