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Cornell University

Tobacco/Nicotine-Free Campus?

Currently, you are not allowed to smoke or vape inside any Cornell building or or within 25 feet of the entrance to any Cornell building. This is Policy 8.7. 

To have a tobacco/nicotine-free campus means that there would be a ban on all smoking and vaping on all Cornell property, e.g., all buildings, the Arts Quad, East Avenue, etc.

The University Assembly (UA) will soon decide whether or not to recommend to President Pollack that we have a tobacco/nicotine-free campus. The UA intends to be advised by a survey that will be made available to all students, employees, and faculty.

In the meantime, we invite all members of the Cornell community to share their thoughts on this topic. To provide a little focus, we identify three areas of discussion, and invite you to post a comment below:

  1. What is your opinion of the current policy on smoking? 
  2. Do you think it is a good idea to ban smoking across the campus? Why or why not?
  3. If a campus-wide ban is adopted, what "help-you-quit" or related services should the university provide?

Policies at other schools: YaleDartmouthHarvardColumbiaPrincetonBrown,University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Binghamton

 

 

Comments

Submitted by ngr27 on Tue, 04/16/2019 - 12:13

1. The current policy seems to be effective. The only time I'm ever bothered by someone smoking is when they are already in violation of the current policy (e.g. smoking within 25 feet of an entryway to a building).
2. No. Trends for nicotine use are largely on the decline in the United States (with the exception of vaping). Regulation at the State and National level has been effective in causing this decline. Statistically, the population impacted most by banning smoking everywhere on campus are low-wage staff members. We should encourage them to quite smoking with financial incentivites, but not ban their ability to continue smoking beyond current policy. I think that we should want them to choose to quit, not force them to do so.
3. Anything that people will actually use.

Submitted by pkc37 on Wed, 11/06/2019 - 16:20

I feel it should be left as it is. Other ethnicities may not understand as well as smoking is part of some cultures. I feel it is working as it is. It could lead to fires from people sneaking. If university does adopt non smoking they should offer all of the choices to quit. Some places even offer cash incentives for quitting.

Submitted by lcj34 on Thu, 11/14/2019 - 16:11

I'm not a smoker and never have been. While I agree smoking is detrimental to the smoker's health (and those around the smoker) I think restricting it over all Cornell property is unrealistic and unfair. The Cornell campus and total Cornell property is vast. Those who are addicted would not be able to just pop off campus when needed. Enforce the current restrictions. Increase the number of programs available to help people quit. But be realistic. Throughout Tompkins County, it isn't even clear what property Cornell owns. Are you going to arrest/cite any person who is innocently walking on a sidewalk or down a road unaware they are smoking on Cornell property?

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