Keene State College has recently made updates to the tobacco-smoking policy on campus that more clearly define what is considered to be tobacco, smoking and smoking devices that are currently on the market.
KSC has always had a tobacco-smoking policy established on campus. However, after questions from students about smoking-devices like vaporizers and what is considered to be smoking, officials felt the need to clarify the policy.
The updated policy still has the same regulations, such as standing 25 feet away from an academic building while smoking and not smoking indoors.
It is the policy of Keene State College to restrict smoking, vaping and all other tobacco use, inside all buildings owned and occupied or leased and occupied by KSC including the College Camp on Wilson Pond, at special events and conferences, in KSC vehicles and in other outdoor campus spaces as described in Section V:2., according to an email sent to students.
Smoking, vaping and the use of all tobacco products as defined in Section V:1 is prohibited within 25 feet of building entrances, outside stairways to buildings, outdoor passageways to entrances and stairways and near air intake units. Where the needs of smokers and nonsmokers conflict, smoke-free air shall have priority. In addition, Keene State College supports education programs to provide tobacco cessation and prevention initiatives to our students, faculty and other academic appointees and staff.
Definitions in the policy include electronic smoking devices, hookahs, smoking and tobacco products.
College officials said that they hope that one day the KSC campus will become tobacco-free.
Associate Director of Human Resources Karen Crawford, who helped make the updates to the policy, said, “I know the president has been discussing becoming tobacco-free and I know that Healthy KSC has been looking into this as well. It’s not something you flick a switch on and say ‘okay, we’re a tobacco-free campus,’ there are a lot of steps.”
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Crawford is part of the New Hampshire tobacco-grant steering committee, established in October 2014, which is looking into establishing tobacco-free campuses across the state. The committee includes all University System of New Hampshire campuses including community colleges. The committee received a grant from the Center of Disease Control which funds the committee. A manager of the grant directs the committee members and its campuses on how the grant should be used. The grant is used to promote and support students who want to quit smoking.
“For Keene State, we’re not quite there yet for a tobacco-free campus. We thought it was important to have a well established, clear tobacco policy. At some point, we would love to become a tobacco-free campus, but we’re not in the near future,” Crawford said.
“We’re trying to promote and support those students who want to quit. We offer free counseling, patches, gum, things like that for students.”
While this update was made recently, some students say that the older policy was never enforced.
“The smoking policy that was already on campus was never really enforced, and just a couple of days ago after the the updates were made, there was someone vaping in the library behind me. They made updates, but there is not a lot of enforcement behind it. It’s not really doing anything for the students,” KSC senior Paige Marion said.
Marion said that there should be certain sections where you can and cannot smoke on campus and if you violate this rule, students should get a warning. If you get a warning and get caught again, you should get a ticket.
“They should enforce it like they enforce the noise policy in student dorms,” Marion said.
Marion continued on how the policy is currently enforced.
“I’m not a smoker myself, but the smell is not something I particularly enjoy. I wouldn’t go as far to say that we should kick students off-campus for it, but the updates should be more enforced,” Marion said.
Some students say they are still confused about the smoking policy even after the updates.
“I think that the new policy is confusing. Upon reading it, I had no idea where I was even allowed to smoke on campus or if I even was allowed. Not to mention it made me feel awkward about being a smoker in general. Using the phrase ‘with air circulation’ is a bit much as well as vague and I know others agree. There’s no places that are stated where you can smoke,” KSC senior Shannon Dow said.
Dow continued about her opinion on KSC becoming a tobacco-free campus.
“KSC should not be tobacco free considering a majority of student smoke whether it’s an everyday thing or an occasional thing to relieve some stress of school, work, or whatever it may be. I don’t think the school should even have the right to have a smoke free campus. It makes me feel uncomfortable and looked down upon more than I already did.”
Other students said that KSC should become a tobacco-free campus.
“I think for health reasons, the campus should become tobacco-free. Tobacco is just not good for you and if we’re trying to clean up the environment on campus, like with cigarette butts all over the ground, it would take a lot of effort, but it would be for the best,” Marion said.
Jacob can be contacted at jknehr@kscequinox.com