At the beginning of the semester, ETSU passed a smoking ban that prohibits anyone from using any form of tobacco on campus.
Despite this ban, many students, faculty and staff have been spotted smoking outside the Brooks Gymnasium, Sam Wilson Hall, hiding behind trees, walking across parking lots, and shielding themselves under umbrellas.
But many students find compliance to the ban, which went into effect on Aug. 11, 2008, to be commendable.
Brittany Long, a junior majoring in public relations, does not see a problem with tobacco usage at all.
Jamey Cross, a junior majoring in education reported seeing only a few smokers on campus. “They are usually off alone not blowing it into any doorways, so it does not bug me,” he said.
Dominique Carter, a senior is impressed with the lack of tobacco usage on campus. She claims there used to be cigarette smokers in front of every building and cigarette butts all over the ground, but that does not seem to be as much of a problem now.
Bill Rasnick, associate vice president of the physical plant, also sees the large amount of compliance across campus. He claims that the ultimate goals of the tobacco ban on campus are to improve the health of individuals on campus and to get rid of unnecessary litter.
But can ETSU be truly tobacco free? According to some students, there is no chance of this happening unless the tobacco-free rule is enforced.
Some students said they would like to see designated smoking areas on campus for smokers. With this, smokers are not breaking any rules and ETSU is not discriminating against anyone.
Brandon Powell of Public Safety says that with the previous smoking policy, there were designated smoking areas on campus however, when individuals decided to smoke in areas that were not designated, there was no proper enforcement.
Rasnick says there is an enforcement policy and people have been turned in for breaking the rules.
Several students have observed that the signs that were on buildings and doors are now removed, or scratched off glass doors.
“There are new signs in the process of being made that stress that the whole campus is tobacco free, which will be going up soon,” Rasnick informs.
Violators are to be reported to Chris Taylor, of Health and Safety. He is responsible for instructing students and staff in stopping their actions, Rasnick said.
The policy is open for public viewing at www.etsu.edu/humanres/ppp/PPP-53.htm .

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