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A spirit that is not afraid

In the ashes

Some students are critical of the new smoking policy because if students are caught smoking on campus, the only consequence is a verbal nudge in the right direction.
Some students are critical of the new smoking policy because if students are caught smoking on campus, the only consequence is a verbal nudge in the right direction.

Despite the new smoking ban, cigarette butts can still be found scattered behind the stone benches outside the Haley Center.

The ban, enacted Aug. 16, 2012, details the 25-feet rule, which says no student or faculty member should smoke within 25 feet of any campus building.

Caitlin Miller, sophomore in nutrition and dietetics, said she has seen many people smoking on campus.

"If the rule is that no one can smoke 25 feet from any building, does that not include the Haley Center?" Miller said. "\0x1FThat's where I see the most people smoking and it looks like they're smoking within the 25 feet of the building."

If students are caught smoking on campus, the only consequence is a verbal nudge in the right direction.

"It's really a supervisory thing," said Eric Smith, director of health and wellness promotions.

Smith said that if one of his employees were caught smoking he would have to address it as he would any other University policy, but no real punishment would be given.

Other universities and colleges have strict smoking policies with harsher penalties.

"The two-year college I went to before this, there was no smoking on campus at all," said Ti\0x99ffany Willingham, sophomore in pre-pharmacy.

"You could go to your car to smoke and that was it. You could get a $25 ticket the first time you were caught smoking on campus and $50 every time after that."

Robert Callahan, junior in business management, said the ban hasn't interfered with his smoking habits.

"The only thing I've noticed is they've taken away a lot of the poles that you throw your butts in, so now there seem to be more cigarette butts around, " Callahan said. "I heard (the university) is trying to be a completely non-smoking campus, but waiting until next year, so I guess they're hoping to ease people into it."

Although some students may not be aware of the new rule, the Office of Communications and Marketing said it has tried its best to cover campus and let the students and faculty know about the new change.

"Signs were put up," Smith said. "It was talked about at every Camp War Eagle session. It was put out through AU Daily and AU Monthly. There were articles in the paper about it. \0x1FThere were spots on TV. Permanent signs went up and there were screensavers in the computer labs about it. All of these methods have been publicized since May 2012."

Complaints about people smoking too close to ventilation shafts, windows and doorways had brought the Department of Risk Management and Safety to come up with a task force to decide how to handle the problem.

Smith said the University decided on the policy.

\0x1FThe Department of Risk Management and Safety will take any future complaints about smoking on campus, and Smith said he would be more than welcome to talk to people about the issue.

\0x1FThe Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy o\0x99ffers cessation programs for students who want to quit smoking.

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