University of Winnipeg goes smoke-free

WINNIPEG (CUP) -- As of April 2, the University of Winnipeg will be a smoke free campus -- every square metre of it.

The new non-smoking policy, unanimously recommended by the university's workplace safety and health committee, stipulates that no smoking will be allowed anywhere on university property. The only exception will be Aboriginal smudging ceremonies, for which permission will be granted on a case-by-case basis.

The outdoor smoking ban has been on the agenda for over two years, says Laurel Repski, a university vice-president. The workplace safety and health committee -- a group of students, support staff, faculty and management -- has been the driving force behind the policy change.

“We think this really is a step in the right direction for the university,” said Repski, who feels that it will “create a healthier environment for everyone,” smokers and non-smokers alike. Along with the smoking ban, the university will provide access to smoking cessation information and programs.

According to Lisa Ferguson of the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control, even smoke in the open outdoor air can be hazardous. She quotes a study done on the University of Maryland campus in Baltimore, which came to the conclusion that “students or faculty passing through the [outdoor] cloud of smoke would encounter detectable levels at about seven metres (23 feet) from a smoker, and irritating levels at four metres (13 feet).”

However, the hazy cloud often present at school entrances doesn't bother some.

“I'm not blowing smoke in the non-smokers' faces,” argued English major and smoker Vanessa Meekis, who doesn't see the need for the change. Meekis predicts that the ban will be ignored, and we will still see smokers outside campus doors, especially in the winter months.

David Mauro, director of Security & Community Ambassador Services, says there's always a period where people have to adjust to the new rules.

“We're not taking a heavy-handed approach. We'll just be asking for their co-operation.”