UMB administration has started increasing enforcement of smoking restrictions as of Nov. 3. The university’s smoking restriction policy is in line with the Massachusetts Smoke-Free Workplace Law (MGL Ch. 270, Sec. 22), which was enacted in 2004 in lieu of the hazardous effects of secondhand smoke to nonsmokers. The statewide law prohibits smoking within all public buildings in the commonwealth.
Smoking is officially prohibited in all campus buildings, stairwells, entrances and hallways to the buildings, the now closed upper and lower level garages, and all outdoor areas marked as “no smoking” zones.
Jeffrey McCue, assistant Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, explained that the Human Resources office and the facilities office had received numerous complaints from staff and faculty about traces of cigarette smoke in their offices in Wheatley, although it was not a problem unique to the Wheatley building. It’s been more pronounced in that particular building because students and faculty gather at the entrance to Wheatley, some smoking, and the air from there is sucked up into the air exchange units in the overhang which is then distributed all through the building.
“This has made for an uncomfortable situation for staff and faculty within the building,” said McCue. He continued, “This prompted us to step up our efforts to move smokers away from the entrances to the Wheatley and move the ash receptacles to try to move people who want to smoke beyond the air exchange areas and negate the impact of smoke finding its way into the buildings.”
Recently there has been heightened public safety presence across the campus, specifically around Wheatley and the public safety officials are asking staff, faculty, students and visitors not to smoke within 25 feet of the buildings. A campus public safety official explained that as long people smoke outside of the 25-foot radius, smoking is allowed. Smoking within the radius is not a criminal offence and does not warrant any kind of punitive police action.
Ted McClearly, freshman classics major, who enjoys smoking, expressed his views about the enforcement of the policy saying, “Just because I smoke doesn’t mean other people have to inhale it, too. I’m pretty cool with not smoking in front of a building. It’s not a big deal or a hassle.”
“I think it’s a good idea in theory, but I haven’t seen any enforcement of it,” said Chloe Danielson, a political science major who also enjoys the occasional cigarette, echoing McClearly’s views on the issue but taking it one step further, insisting the enforcement is inadequate. She voiced her opinions on how to correct this, saying, “I think public safety officials should be there all day and the ash receptacles should be moved even farther away from the building entrances.”
Mariah Silva, theatre arts major, a non-smoker who doesn’t have a problem with others smoking said, “I like it because smoke makes my throat sore and the fact that there aren’t people smoking all over the place makes it a better and healthier environment for me.”