The intent of this blog is to document Student Government's campaign to make Pittsburg State a tobacco free campus and inform everyone of how we plan to achieve this goal. We have started this campaign in an effort to make our students healthier, clean up our campus, and improve the marketability of this wonderful institution. Myself and others from your Student Government have been brainstorming a number of ways to market this campaign as well as provide avenues for students to voice their opinion on this issue. It should be noted that this shift in opinion towards tobacco on campus is not an isolated issue. Campus's all over the nation are moving towards this dramatic change and it seems as though this change is inevitable. That is why we have decided to take on the responsibility of promoting this cause because this is an issue that will effect students most and the decision should be made by the students, on their time. So far, we have drafted a public service announcement and are in the works of developing a logo that will mark this historic change and will be recognizable as the symbol of change in health on our campus. Feel free to check back here anytime for updates and discussions about this issue as I will be using this to receive feedback on our endeavor.
click here for an article discussing major universities that have gone smoke free
Its impossible to disagree with the idea that smoking is indeed bad for your health, with the countless health risks, but its more difficult for me to agree with you that having a smoke free campus makes Pittsburg State a more marketable place. I think its important to consider that almost 40% of the population smokes, and that about half of the people that DO smoke are between the ages of 18 and 45, which is the main sector that Pittsburg State is trying to reach. I myself am not a smoker, make no mistake, but I think that limiting the distance that smokers can smoke in front of buildings is where the line should be drawn; simply because at that distance, second hand smoking is of no concern. Its one of those things that are of free choice to American citizens, and getting rid of a person's choice simply because the idea is unpopular to some isn't the way to make Pitt State more marketable- if anything it will push out smokers simply because they're smokers- which is similar to racism, sexism, or ageism.
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