Leading up to August 2014 LSU and other universities will be enforcing a smoke free campus due to Governor Bobby Jindal’s approval of CT 211 which requires universities across the state to be tobacco free. But is this long overdue or unfair to smokers?
Anti-Smoking Advocate of 14 years, Judith Sylvester, feels this is a great change but that we still have a long journey ahead. Sylvester commented “It’s going to be a big change for us but will we do it all immediately? No. We’re going to be doing it gradually in stages and I really think if we can change the campus culture it will be just like our indoor smoking where people just don’t do it, It won’t be that easy but nevertheless I see real hope for that.”
Health officials on campus also agree that this change is beneficial because everyone is at risk.
Julie Hupperich, Health Promotions Director at the Student Health Center, highlighted the dangers of tobacco on campus when she stated, “Well, I think smoking affects all students on campus and faculty and staff because it’s been shown that there is no safe level of environmental second hand smoke.”
Almost all campus officials agree with a tobacco free campus, but some students beg to differ.
Luke Sheppard expressed negative feelings toward he ban when he stated, “I don’t feel that it isn’t going to be effective, I just feel like they are going to try to enforce it. I do feel that it is unfair because if you smoke you smoke, you can help it but it’s just something that you do.”
On the other hand non-smoker Jeremy Mason feels that this change will be beneficial and said “I really don’t have a problem with it. I think that they shouldn’t be allow to smoke, it’s kind of bad for people who don’t smoke because it bothers them. “
With mixed reactions from campus officials and students it’s unclear whether or not this policy will be effective by August 2014, only time can tell. 
Anti-Smoking Advocate of 14 years, Judith Sylvester, feels this is a great change but that we still have a long journey ahead. Sylvester commented “It’s going to be a big change for us but will we do it all immediately? No. We’re going to be doing it gradually in stages and I really think if we can change the campus culture it will be just like our indoor smoking where people just don’t do it, It won’t be that easy but nevertheless I see real hope for that.”
Health officials on campus also agree that this change is beneficial because everyone is at risk.
Julie Hupperich, Health Promotions Director at the Student Health Center, highlighted the dangers of tobacco on campus when she stated, “Well, I think smoking affects all students on campus and faculty and staff because it’s been shown that there is no safe level of environmental second hand smoke.”
Almost all campus officials agree with a tobacco free campus, but some students beg to differ.
Luke Sheppard expressed negative feelings toward he ban when he stated, “I don’t feel that it isn’t going to be effective, I just feel like they are going to try to enforce it. I do feel that it is unfair because if you smoke you smoke, you can help it but it’s just something that you do.”
On the other hand non-smoker Jeremy Mason feels that this change will be beneficial and said “I really don’t have a problem with it. I think that they shouldn’t be allow to smoke, it’s kind of bad for people who don’t smoke because it bothers them. “
With mixed reactions from campus officials and students it’s unclear whether or not this policy will be effective by August 2014, only time can tell.