The Student Wellness Advisory Council (SWAC) is circulating a petition to make Occidental’s campus smoke-free in an effort to improve the health of the community.
The petition proposes all of Occidental campus grounds become 100 percent smoke-free. If a student, faculty, staff or community member would like to smoke, they will have to do so off campus.
Members of SWAC, a student-driven health advocacy group, in collaboration with Emmons Student Wellness Center (Emmons) and the Public Health Club, have been developing the smoke-free petition since last semester. Senior Director of Emmons and SWAC Advisor Sara Semal said that Colleges Against Cancer, a nationwide association of college students working with the American Cancer Society to eliminate cancer, was used as an informational resource during the creation of the petition.
Semal hopes the petition will highlight the dangers of smoking.
“If you introduced tobacco as a drug today it would be illegal because of its harmful effects and how it endangers everyone,” Semal said. “Tobacco use is an extremely important issue that is just not given enough attention. Through this petition, we’re sort of bringing it back to light and trying to catch up with other campuses that have already made their campuses smoke-free.”
If this petition is approved, Occidental will join a movement of colleges and universities with the 100 percent smoke-free policies supported by the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANRF). As of July 1, ANRF has helped establish 1,577 smoke-free campuses, and they plan to initiate many more through education and prevention programs.
The petition was first released at the involvement fair Sept. 10. According to SWAC member Lexie Filkins (senior), the responses were overwhelmingly positive; within the first two hours, there were over 100 signatures. The online petition was sent to the entire student body Friday. By Monday night, it had gained over 380 signatures.
SWAC members still have to work with various Occidental administrators and departments to develop and approve the new policy and its date of implementation. However, Filkins said SWAC is solely focused on gaining student interest and support at the moment.
SWAC member Moonie Singh (senior) wants SWAC’s petition to encourage discussion about the dangers of smoking and the effects it has on smokers and non-smokers alike.
SWAC members expect some push-back from both individuals who smoke or vape and students who think their peers should not have to go off campus to do so.
Ashley Alexander (sophomore) said she thinks the petition plainly prioritizes one group’s interests over another. A compromise that would appease smokers and non-smokers would settle the issue better than making campus completely smoke free, according to Alexander.
“Both groups should have a space to be comfortable in,” Alexander said.
Timothy Valero (sophomore) said that, while he is aware of the harmful effects of smoking, the proposed restrictions are too severe.
“Heightening the restrictions to only smoke off campus seems extreme because we already have the 30 feet rule,” Valero said. “And I feel like most smokers follow the 30 feet rule.”
According to Semal, SWAC members do not want to compromise. She thinks the 30 feet rule, which bars people from smoking within 30 feet of a building, is inadequate because it does not apply to open spaces, such as the academic quad, that are popular places for students to congregate.
Filkins understands the opposition that may arise from the petition but believes the health of non-smoking students is too important to compromise.
“We’re not trying to take away the liberty of smokers, but when it impede[s] on others’ rights to clean air then you have to draw the line,” Filkins said. “We are trying to protect non-smokers and make Oxy a healthier community.”
